Lean on Me
by kcollinsp
Summary: Futurefic! Blaine and Kurt broke up, 17 years later they meet when Kurt's daughter has Blaine as a teacher. One a widow and one newly single, they begin a relationship that rekindles the passion they had as teens. Eventual M for smut.
1. Chapter 1

It was 7:30 when Kurt finally pulled himself out of bed, the music playing from the room across the hall finally too loud to ignore. Lately he had been going into the office a few hours later than usual-a result of his recent bout with insomnia. He walked down the hall and into the kitchen and looked for anything that could pass for food. Finding some pancake mix and fresh fruit, he decided to surprise his daughter with an actual homemade breakfast this morning. He let the time pass as he listened to the music, so happy that Effie had good taste. Singing along with the Broadway playlist, he didn't realize that he had begun dancing until he heard his daughter: "Save it for the clubs, Dad". He spun around, quickly noticing that the music had stopped. "Sass!" He exclaimed. She had been pushing her limits lately. "Well, when you've been raised by the Sass Queen himself it's hard to resist," she quipped with a smug smirk. _God_, Kurt thought,_ this girl has too much wit for her own good. _"Tone," he warned. "I made pancakes, how much time do you…" he started to say when he looked at the clock. "Shit! Effie, it's already 8:15, school started fifteen minutes ago!"

"Dad, relax, it's just Dr. Asshole's class, it's not important." She was completely relaxed, starting to grab a pancake off the griddle.

Instead, Kurt handed her an apple and began to push her out their apartment door: "Effie! You seriously have to be more respectful. You cannot just talk about your teachers like that!"

Effie scoffed and rolled her eyes but left the apartment.

"God, that girl is going to be the death of me," Kurt said to himself softly.

"Can anyone tell me what role the ledgers play in the novel?"

They were currently discussing there new AP English book: "Go Down, Moses" by William Faulkner, Effie zoning in and out of what her professor was saying. She registered someone raising there hand and giving an incredibly vague answer before she drifted into a state of semi-consciousness once again, only awoken by the incessant call of her annoying teacher saying her name and getting progressively louder.

"Effie. Effie this is completely inappropriate."

She slowly raised her head up to look her teacher in the eyes and give him the best bitch glare she could muster, something she learned from her father very early on.

"Maybe if your class wasn't so boring, I wouldn't have been so distracted." She heard a small chorus of snickers joined by some gasps at her outright disrespect.

"This is the third time this week that you've been completely rude in this classroom. I've let it slide because I like to think of myself as a patient person, but this is the last straw. I will be contacting your parents for a meeting and until then you will leave this classroom and you will not come back until you have a written letter of apology to all of us. This is a classroom and you're tone is not be acceptable here."

Effie stood up with as much dignity as she could muster and quickly made an exit out of the room. She knew that her father would not be happy with her. She left school and made her way to the nearest Starbucks to calm herself down. _I've really stepped in it this time_.

Later that day while working on the next sketch for the winter line, Kurt got a phone call.

"Mr. Hummel?" A gruff sounding voice on the other end of the line asked.

"Yes, this is he. Who is this calling?" He answered with the best fake enthusiasm he could muster. Quite frankly, he was annoyed that his artistic process was disrupted.

"This is Dr. Wilmington from your daughter's school."

_Shit_, Kurt thought. He had hoped this phone call would not happen.

"Yes, is something wrong?" He answered as evenly as he could.

"Yes actually," the man began, "One of Evelyn's teachers has requested a conference with you. He has said that she has been acting out severely in his class, and he would like to get to the bottom of it."

"Oh god, I'm so sorry," Kurt mused, "Is there a time when this teacher would be able to meet? I'm pretty busy this next month because Fashion Week is coming up." Kurt bit his bottom lip, desperately hoping that this could all be forgotten. He hated parent-teacher conferences.

"Mr. Hummel, I, of course, understand that you may be busy, but I hope you're willing to sacrifice for your daughter." Wow, that was a cheap shot.

"Yes, yes, of course," Kurt said, "How is Friday at 3:30, right after school?"

"That should work. Thank you for your time." Before Kurt could answer the man had hung up.

Effie was gonna get one hell of a lecture tonight.

Effie had suspected that her father had received a phone call from the dean's office that day, so she decided to lay as low as possible, hoping it would all blow over soon enough. She unlocked the door and slipped off her shoes and then assuming no one was home, fished around in the kitchen to find a snack and started to mount the stairs to her bedroom. She only got to the fourth step before she heard her father from the living room: "Evelyn Elizabeth Hummel-Parker, you better not be trying to run away from this conversation."

_Oh great_, Effie thought, _she would get yelled at sooner than expected_.

She slowly made her way back downstairs and faced her father in the living room. She shifted nervously while he sat there with an unreadable expression, making her very anxious. Kurt was the first one to speak: "Ok, I'm going to give you _another_ chance to explain why I got a call today from the headmaster about your inappropriate behavior."

Suddenly feeling cornered and defensive, Effie blurted, "No, Dad, it's not my fault! My teacher was being an asshole and I was fed up with it and decided to say something. You know, you always told me to stand up for what I believe in, to not let anyone intimidate me."

"Effie, that is a completely different thing! This is not something you can use as an excuse for your rudeness! This man is your teacher and therefore your superior—you need to give him that respect. God, you would've thought that after five years at that school you would know when to shut up."

Effie closed in on herself and just gave her best bitch glare—her defense mechanism when she didn't have anything witty to say. After Kurt took a few deep breaths to calm himself, he continued: "So, I am going to go to meet with your teacher tomorrow. You are going to do whatever you must to make it up to your teacher and continue to be respectful in class. If, and only if you do that, I may reduce your grounding from three weeks to two."

"Three weeks?" Effie asked incredulously before she stomped up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door.

After the door was safely closed, Kurt let out a sigh and let his posture sag, again wondering if he had done the right thing—something he contemplated whenever he had to punish Effie. "Disciplinarian" was not one of the roles he fulfilled often until last year and he had nowhere near perfected it since then.

Blaine waited patiently in the classroom, grading papers to pass the time waiting for Effie's parents. They were now running ten minutes late, which wasn't really a surprise to him—most of the parents of the children at this school were workaholics, spending not nearly as much time with their children as their nannies or housekeepers. He sighed; thinking about what Effie's home life must be like for her to act out consistently in class. Maybe it's a cry for attention…or maybe an outlet for expression that she was denied at home. Before his thoughts could drift too far, though, he was jolted out of his haze by a whispered question: "Blaine Anderson?"

Kurt was not having a good day. He was running behind, as per usual, and it was already 3:00 and it at least a twenty minute walk to Effie's school. He still needed to finish sending his newest sketches to various magazine editors before he could even think about leaving. By the time that was done, it was 3:10 and he was rushing to collect his things when his day-old coffee in his "New Yorker" travel mug spilled off the desk, effectively ruining his new Armani white dress shirt. He, of course, could not show up at Effie's school looking like a hobo, so he decided to stop at home to change his shirt. Long story short, he was twenty minutes late when he ran in the building finally finding the classroom. The door was open, and just as Kurt was about to rush in, he surveyed the scene. At first glance, the man behind the desk looked to be in his late-thirties, seeming very scholarly in his glasses and coat and tie. His hair was curly and only slightly gelled down, and _wait_. He's seen that mop of hair before. Suddenly, everything from seventeen years ago is brought to the forefront of his mind and he is only able to mutter a single name, "Blaine Anderson?"


	2. Chapter 2

The second he looked up, he knew exactly who was staring down at him. Those blue eyes hadn't changed a bit, and still not a wrinkle on his beautifully pale skin. _Ha_, Blaine thought_, that skin regimen was really worth it_. He realized that he hadn't said anything for longer than was traditionally socially acceptable, but nothing could come to mind. There were so many things he had to say to him, to Kurt, so many questions, but right now he couldn't come up with anything, so all he said was, "Kurt."

That was all the confirmation Kurt needed, not that he had any doubt this was Blaine, the same Blaine whom he hadn't seen in seventeen years. They spent the next few seconds staring at each other, letting the weight of this moment sink in. Finally, Blaine spoke up.

"Why are you here?" He realized in hindsight that it wasn't the most graceful thing to say, but it wasn't said with malice, only genuine confusion.

"Oh, um, I got a call and I have a meeting with someone." Kurt was flustered to say the least and was having trouble finding any words to speak with.

"Sorry, that wasn't really clear," he said, finally regaining some of his ability to form a coherent thought, "My daughter goes here, and apparently she's been having some behavioral issues, so I'm supposed to meet her teacher here for a conference…Wait, so you work here? You're a teacher?"

"Yah," Blaine smiled, "I am a teacher here…Did you say that your supposed to meet a teacher here about your daughter?"

"Yes."

Blaine laughed, "So you're Effie's father. I knew she must have gotten that sass from somebody."

Kurt stared incredulously at Blaine. He is Effie's teacher. His ex-boyfriend is his daughter's teacher. _Shit_, Kurt thought_, this is awkward._

"You're Effie's teacher?" At the nod of Blaine's head, Kurt groaned. "I apologize profusely. She's been on edge lately because of some personal issues."

At that, Blaine's curiosity peaked. He prided himself on not being a nosy person, but this was a personal issue involving his first love. He could just tell himself that he needed to know for his student's sake.

"Personal issues?"

Kurt tensed up. He didn't like talking about this stuff with random people, but then again Blaine isn't a random person. Though his better judgment may have warned against it, he realized that he still completely trusted Blaine.

"Yah," Kurt started, "She's been having trouble coping ever since her father died." Now that caught Blaine's attention.

"It's coming up on the one-year anniversary and so she's been especially bad the past few weeks."

Blaine finally arose from his seat and made his way over to where Kurt was standing. He gently grabs his hand for consolation: "I'm so sorry, Kurt. That must've been so difficult for you. I didn't mean to pry."

"No, no, it feels good to talk about it. It still hurts, you know, but I'm ready to continue on with my life. Effie, not so much," Kurt threw in with a small laugh. "She's a really good kid—smart, witty, has a good head on her shoulders. After what happened last year she's had her ups and downs, but in months like these she's rude and sarcastic and inappropriate, and I have no idea what to do or say…" at the last part Kurt realized he was about to break down, and abruptly stopped and tried to pull himself together.

"I'm really sorry. I don't know why this is all spewing out. This is what happens when I neglect to see my therapist for a few weeks." Blaine laughed politely at that.

"Kurt, seriously, don't worry about it." Blaine gave Kurt a reassuring smile, and they stood there in a comfortable silence.

"So, what about you?" Kurt started.

"What?"

"Your life. You got the gist of mine—dead husband, teenage daughter. How about you? Any kids? Pets? Significant others?" That last one was asked with a tone Blaine couldn't quite recognize, like Kurt was hoping that he was single.

"Well, no pets, but I do have a four-year-old son named Oliver. Regarding your last question, no. I am not involved with anyone. Recently single, actually, but my ex does not have custody of Ollie for…reasons" Blaine stopped at that and looked down.

"Oh…Well, I'm sorry."

"No, no, don't be. Well be sorry that I ever got into the relationship, not that I got out of it." Blaine smiled genuinely at him again. "But, I did get Ollie out of all of this, so everything was worth it."

"I always knew you'd be a good dad," Kurt reminisced. He would always watch Blaine at family parties playing with all the kids, singing and playing tag. When they were teenagers, he was basically a kid himself.

They again stood in silence just basking in the glow of nostalgia. Without thinking, Kurt blurted out, "Would you like to go out to dinner tomorrow?" As soon as he heard himself, though, he covered his mouth and was quick to retract: "Well, I mean I totally understand if you don't, and it might be weird—"

"I'd love to."

That quieted Kurt down.

"Okay." He smiled tentatively.

"There's this great Italian restaurant on 49th and 9th. Assuming your tastes have not changed, you'll love it. Most of it's organic, and they have a bunch of gluten-free options. I'll pick you up at 8?"

"Yah, yes, okay," Kurt was clearly overwhelmed. "Perfect."

Then, realizing what time it was, Kurt's eyes almost bugged out of his head.

"It's 4:30 already! Shit, I have a meeting in 20 minutes across town." Kurt spurt out, getting ready to leave but not wanting to. "I'll see you tomorrow then, I guess."

"Yes," Blaine answered confidently, "see you tomorrow."

Right as Kurt was exiting the classroom, Blaine yelled one last thing: "You're skin care regimen was definitely worth it in the long run. Not one wrinkle."

As Kurt turned around, Blaine could clearly see the blush across Kurt's face. _How adorable_, Blaine thought,_ he still blushes like the bashful 16-year-old he was when I met him_. And with that Kurt uttered a quick "bye" and was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Kurt was now standing in front of his mirror, attempting to get his hair to cooperate. He couldn't remember the last time he had worked this hard to look this good, not even for his dates that were occasionally set up through his friends. No, this was different; this was Blaine. It didn't matter that Blaine had seen him as a baby-faced 16-year-old or even that he had seen his morning hair. All Kurt knew is that he yearned for Blaine's praise and attention, and he was going to do everything in his power to get that tonight.

His clothes were already picked out and lying on the bed. The Italian restaurant Blaine was taking him to was classy, but not arrogant (_Wow, Blaine really hasn't changed_), so he had decided on black dress pants, a tight white dress shirt, and a thin deep red tie that Eli had always told him looked amazing with his pale skin. Across the hall, Kurt noticed Effie taking interest in his ministrations and he smirked to himself as he saw her try to act like she wasn't watching his every move. When she finally realized she had been caught, she asked, "Hot date tonight?"

Kurt continued to move around the room, moisturizing his skin now and trying to find his shoes in his closet as he held his conversation with Effie.

"Not a date, just a meeting with a friend." _Was it a date? _Kurt asked himself, "_Would it be weird if it was?_"

"Oh, so you can go out and have a life, but I have to stay locked up here all day and night?"

"Be more dramatic Effie, I dare you. And yes, I get to go out because I wasn't disrespectful to my boss this week."

"You don't have a boss."

"Yes, and the day you don't have a boss, then you can do whatever you want," Kurt smugly added as he shut his door to get changed.

Effie turned around with a huff and stalked back into her room.

Blaine spent his Saturday running around, trying to find a last-minute babysitter for Ollie. His brother Cooper, who usually can cover for him, cancelled early that morning in favor of a premier he got invited to with one of his clients. He took Ollie to the park and let him play on the playground while he scrolled through his phone, desperate to find anyone whom he remotely trusted with his child. As he went through his contacts, he noticed that he still had Kurt's old number, as well as many of his friends (or, friends of Kurt's) in high school: Finn, Rachel, Mercedes, Tina, even. _Wow_, he thought, _that's a blast from the past_. He wasn't able to reminisce for too long as he finally reached someone who could be a possibility.

Thankfully, Nick and Jeff were ready and willing to arrange a chaperoned playdate with Ollie and their young daughter, Charlotte. While on the phone with Nick, he hastily agreed to take Ollie for the night, stating, "you need to get out more", while Jeff added an always mature, "get some!" _If only they knew who I was going on a date with_, Blaine laughed.

By the time he had dropped Ollie off at Nick and Jeff's apartment, it was already 7, and he had to pick Kurt up across town in an hour. He took a quick shower, and willed his hair to cooperate and not frizz tonight. Blaine had been trying to go without hair gel, as it had become more of a nuisance these days, but didn't want to set Kurt off by not putting it in. _Maybe just a little gel_, he decided—just to keep the frizz away. Once his hair was finished, he put together an outfit that he hoped would be Kurt-approved: blue slacks, a Ralph Lauren checkered shirt, and a blue bowtie with the polo insignia—yes, he still wore bowties. Well, maybe not as much anymore, but he knew Kurt loved the bowties, so he decided to incorporate it for tonight.

With everything on and Kurt's address on a paper in his pocket, he set off to hail a cab.

**A/N: Sorry this is short, but wanted to get something out before what I'm anticipating as a long chapter next time. Chapter 4 will include the date and then some after, hopefully. These next chapters should be going up more quickly, as I just finished school and have nothing else to distract me. Thanks for the reviews!**


	4. Chapter 4

Blaine arrived at Kurt's apartment with five minutes to spare, and took a second before ringing the buzzer. He didn't know what to make of Kurt asking him out. He knew that they were both single, but was almost sure Kurt wasn't ready to go there, no matter how much he said he was. Was he even ready to go there himself? It had only been eight months since the official end of his relationship with Ryan, not that it wasn't emotionally over months before that. Either way, Blaine was a friend to Kurt before they started dating, so he'd rather have a friend back than nothing. Finally, he rang the buzzer and he heard Kurt's voice, angelic even through an intercom, answer that he would be right down.

Kurt straightened his tie and took one last look in the mirror before heading downstairs to meet Blaine. As he rushed passed Effie's room, he yelled a quick "Be good. Do your homework, and I'll be home by twelve. Call if you need anything!" He knew Effie was still mad at him because she refused to even justify his statement with an answer. _She'll get over it soon enough_, he hoped.

Kurt arrived downstairs and exited the building, greeting the doorman and _wow,_ he had forgotten how good Blaine looked when he dressed up. He was nervously shifting from his weight and looking at his cell phone, _no doubt to check the time_, Kurt thought, and his ass looked damn good in those pants. _Oh god_, _am I even allowed to be thinking like that? I've never thought about any of the other guys I've dated like that since Eli._ _Uhh, Kurt, please do not think about your dead spouse when there is a hot guy picking you up for a date, _Kurt scolded himself. As if noticing a pair of eyes trained on him, Blaine turned around and gave Kurt a dazzling smile.

They were standing there for a few seconds, just smiling at each other, until Blaine finally made a decision and held out his hand for Kurt to take. With that small gesture, Blaine had set the entire tone of the night. Kurt willingly accepted his hand and they made there way to the curb where Blaine had a cab waiting.

When they reached the restaurant, Blaine paid for the cab and then opened the door for Kurt, always the true gentleman. As soon as they got to their table, he pulled the chair out for Kurt. At that, he blushed as he remembered that no one he had ever met could compete with Blaine in chivalry—in that category, Blaine wasn't even rivaled. Their food had come and they had made polite conversation until Kurt turned it more personal: "So, you know all about my daughter—well at least I hope you'd know some, since you're her teacher" Blaine chuckled at that, "Tell me about Ollie."

_Oh_, that question took Blaine by surprise. He was so used to guys he dated being indifferent towards his son, but he figured maybe because Kurt was a father, too, he was genuinely interested.

"Well," Blaine started, "he's four, so there's not much to tell."

Kurt saw right through that one: "Oh please, he may be four, but I'm sure you know just as much about him as you would if he were a teenager. Blaine, I know you, you're like the little kid whisperer."

"The little kid whisperer?" Blaine laughed.

"Okay, not the most eloquent way to put it maybe, but you are. So, please— " Kurt reached across the table and grabbed Blaine's hand, hoping that this small gesture would assure Blaine that he could still trust him, "tell me about him."

"Ok, well he's four and so he's totally in the Troublesome Toddler phase, but he's such a good kid. He loves trucks and action figures and he's such a boy, it's adorable. Thank god, he hasn't grown out of Disney movies yet, because I don't think I'll be able to make it past that day, and his favorite prince is Aladdin, which I'm super excited about because he's always been mine, too. He tells his friends that his favorite color is green, but it's really purple and I know that because every time we walk in the park or past a garden and we see a purple flower he freaks out and begs for us to pick it and take it home. Most of the time I have to say 'no' because I don't want to deal with the wrath of angry New Yorkers, but sometimes he just knows the right thing to say to hit my weak spots."

Watching Blaine talk animatedly about his son almost made Kurt explode with pride and affection. He had always known Blaine would make a fantastic father, but hearing about it now that it was real, it almost brought Kurt to tears—it was like Blaine was finally succeeding in making up for all of the places his own father had lacked. He defeated the stereotypes that bad fathers make more bad fathers—Blaine was above that.

"He seems like an awesome kid. I'd really like to meet him sometime."

"Yah, I would like that too."

They just stared at each other for a few seconds. It seemed that as the night went on, both of the men began to feel a tension that wasn't necessarily sexual, but affectionate. Neither of them knew what to make of this night, but they knew they wanted more of the other.

"So," Kurt asked, "you trusted him enough to leave him home alone tonight? Because he sounds like a responsible four-year-old, but can he even reach the fridge?" They laughed together.

"No, no, actually, he's over at Nick and Jeff's tonight."

It took Kurt a moment to register that these weren't just the names of Blaine's friends, but people he knew from high school.

"Wait, Nick and Jeff Warbler?"

"Yup. They actually have a daughter Charlotte who is a year younger than Ollie, so they agreed to have him over tonight."

"Wow, they're still together? That's crazy! I can't believe they made it past high school." That comment, which Kurt didn't think much of, stung Blaine, even though it had been over a decade since they had broken up. _We were supposed to be the ones who made it out of high school_, Blaine thought bitterly. Before he was able filter his thoughts, the words had already come out of his mouth and all he could do was wait to see how Kurt reacted: "Well, when people love each other enough and work at their relationship, they tend to get out of high school."

Kurt froze instantly.

"Oh my god, Kurt, I am so sorry, I didn't mean for that to come out of my mouth—"

"No," Kurt stopped him, but Blaine couldn't read the look he had on his face. "Blaine, I understand now how my comment could've been hurtful. But, if you want to have this conversation, which now I'm seeing is probably important if we want to start this thing that we have now, then can we please talk about this somewhere else?"

Blaine was stunned. "Yah, yes, of course. We can go back to my apartment."

"Sounds great." And with that, Kurt flagged down the waiter and asked him for the check.

Amongst everything, all Blaine could think about was _Kurt is coming back to my apartment. Kurt is coming back to my apartment_. And then,_ get you're mind out of the gutter, Blaine, you've already seen him naked and in much more compromising positions. Stop acting like a teenager_.

The cab ride home was mostly silent, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. They kept their hands interlaced for the entire ride and occasionally caught each other's eyes when they were stealing glances at the other. When they finally arrived at Blaine's apartment, they got out of the cab and Blaine led them up to the sixth floor. Once inside, Blaine made his way into the kitchen and shouted, asking Kurt if he wanted anything to drink.

"Just water would be great, thanks."

While Blaine was in the kitchen, Kurt took a minute to look around the apartment. It was a lot nicer than he thought Blaine was going to be able to afford on a teacher's salary, but it was, by no means, extravagant or ornate. Just simple and classy. From his perch in the living room/foyer, he could see a hallway to the right that must lead to the bedrooms, and the kitchen. The view from his current position was gorgeous—his apartment was perched right across from a dock to the Hudson and Battery Park was directly across and to the right. When Blaine reentered the room with drinks, he passed Kurt and just said, "Follow me" as he began to climb stairs that Kurt had not seen before. The stairs led to a door that worked as the entrance onto Blaine's part of the roof, a perk that must come with living on the top floor. The patio was decorated with some potted plants and couches, and there was even a miniature basketball hoop that Kurt presumed was for Ollie. They sat down on the couches and Blaine handed Kurt his glass of water. Kurt sat back taking in the view of his beloved city, entranced by its beauty.

"You know, the first thing I noticed about Eli when I met him was that his eyes looked just like yours."

"Eli?"

"My husband…That's actually the reason why I approached him."

Blaine didn't know how to respond to this. But, he didn't have to as Kurt just continued to talk, looking out over the horizon.

"It was six months after we broke up. I was a mess. I felt so lost in this city, surrounded by people. Those eyes, those eyes felt safe for me. They reminded me of you."

Everything was silent after that.

"What am I supposed to make of that?" Blaine finally asked.

"What?"

"What do you want me to say to that?"

Kurt thought about that for a second. "I don't even know why I told you. Sorry."

Blaine thought about how to ask what he really wanted to know. Finally, he just went for it.

"Why did you break up with me?"

Kurt finally turned to look into his eyes for the first time since they've been on the roof.

"And please don't give me the distance excuse or that you met someone else. Please just tell me the truth. It bothered me for so long, and I, I, well, I just need to know."

Blaine's hazel eyes bore into Kurt's own, and he felt like he would be able to see through any lie or excuse he would try to construe right now. So he just sighed, and racked his brain, trying to bring himself back to the state he was in seventeen years ago.

"I know that you think that distance is a lousy excuse, but just hear me out. It was our third year being apart from one another, so I know you would think that it would've gotten easier with time, but it wasn't. I was in New York, you were in Chicago. People from everywhere had constantly been telling me that something was going to happen, that temptation was going to be there and that we were both going to get hurt. You have to understand, the absolute last thing I wanted to do was hurt you, and I realize now and even then that that was unavoidable. I just…I couldn't deal with not you there to come home to, and it wasn't just the lack of my sex life, but it was the fact that you weren't there to hug me when I was upset, or kiss me when I just needed to be close to someone, or cuddle in bed and to wake up next to. And if I couldn't have you, I just needed that from someone. I mean, I knew that it wouldn't be the same, that no one would be able to be you, but I just, I couldn't do it any longer. The two worst things I've ever had to go through in my life have been my husband's death and our breakup."

By the end of his monologue, Kurt was on the verge of tears, desperate for Blaine to understand the pain he went through during their break-up. Blaine just stared at him, and finally when Kurt looked back up, they made intense eye contact. Seconds later Kurt began to slowly lean in, Blaine following his lead. They got closer and closer, and finally, their lips met in a soft, but intense embrace as each man tried to infuse all of their feeling and pent up tension into this kiss. The kiss slowly became more heated, with Kurt sliding his tongue along Blaine's lower lip, and Blaine responding by opening his mouth to welcome the intrusion. Blaine then bit Kurt's bottom lip, eliciting a moan. Kurt deepened the kiss and just as it seemed to be leading somewhere else, Blaine separated their lips and pushed their foreheads together. As they tried to regain their normal breathing, they stared deeply into each other's eyes.

"I don't want this to be about lust or old feelings. I want to do this the real way."

"Wha, what do you mean?"

"Kurt Hummel, would you please go on another date with me?"

Kurt sat silently for another second before he muttered out, "Yes. I would love that."

Blaine smiled and pecked Kurt on the lips. "Good."


	5. Chapter 5

Kurt came home that night smiling like an idiot, humming a song that was familiar, but he couldn't quite recognize. As he unlocked the door and headed into the apartment, he spotted Effie on the couch watching some documentary about the history of Broadway musicals. _A girl after my own heart_, Kurt thought to himself as he made his way into the kitchen after saying a quick "hello" to his daughter.

Effie definitely did not miss that smitten look on her father's face from the moment he walked through the door. _Either he was with one of his friends or he got laid_, she thought. She shivered at the latter, trying to get the thought of her father having sex out of her head—it wasn't exactly a mental image she wanted to have. But as she thought about it more, she realized that he hadn't smiled like this in over a year. Yes, he seemed happy when he would go to shows with his friends, or when he finally was able to see his newest designs on the runway, but this smile, this was positively lovestruck. Effie began to feel an overwhelming sense of jealousy, envious that she couldn't ever make her father that happy. At least, not since Papa died. She knew she had been a bit difficult and could sometimes overstep her limits, but she really had thought her dad was his happiest when he was around her. Her curiosity had definitely peaked and with each passing thought, she wanted to know more about this mystery man. She was not particularly a fan of the idea of her father dating again, but she's learned that when her dad wants something, he gets it, and she'll probably just have to deal with this guy too.

Deciding that earning her father's trust back would probably be the fastest route to solving all of these problems, she begrudgingly resolved to go talk to Mr. Anderson before school on Monday and apologize-and she did not just apologize to anyone. One of Effie's most prominent traits was her dispositional pride, sometimes to a fault. But, she was willing to do this if it meant making her dad happy.

xxxxxxx

Effie arrived at school promptly at 7:50, ten minutes before her class with Mr. Anderson was scheduled to start. She hoped that he would be there, so that getting up twenty minutes earlier than usual was not a waste of her time. She lightly knocked on the door to the classroom and was met by a cheery, "come on in".

It was clear from Blaine's face that he was not expecting to see Effie. He was whistling something when she walked in and as soon as he looked up, his mouth opened and his right eyebrow raised in a questioning gesture. Effie just smiled in an attempt to make the encounter less awkward. It didn't feel like she was accomplishing her task. After a minute, Blaine cleared his throat, and Effie realized that it was her turn to speak so she began to gather up the courage to just say it. _Courage_, her father had always told her as a young girl whenever she was afraid of something. Kurt never really knew how much that helped her, but it did. So she used the word to help get her through the next few minutes.

"Hi, Mr. Anderson. Um…Well, I just wanted to—I guess I came here to, um—"

Blaine just continued to stare at her with a smug look on his face. He knew what she was trying to do, but he wasn't going to offer her a way out. Finally, Effie summoned up her courage, made eye contact with Blaine, and just said:

"I came here to apologize for being rude. Not just last class, but for all the times I've been bitchy or annoying. Just…I'm sorry."

It remained silent for a few seconds while Blaine just stared at Effie, willing her to keep the eye contact. She didn't disappoint. Finally, he broke the tension.

"You're forgiven." Effie let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding since her speech. "But, Effie, if your having trouble focusing or you're upset because of things that have been happening in your life, don't lash out at people trying to help you. I admit, I may have been brash to you the other day because I had no idea about your father, but I still think—"

"My father? What about my father?"

_Shit_, Blaine thought_, she's going into defensive mode_.

"Effie, all I'm trying to say is that I understand that this past year must've been extremely difficult for you—"

Effie's posture had stiffened and she had crossed her arms over her chest.

"Who told you about that?"

"Well, when you're dad came in to speak with me the other day, he told me that you've been this way since your father's death."

Her eyes widened. _Why would dad tell this random stranger about such a personal issue?_

"He had no right," she began.

"Effie, I'm your teacher, I just want to help you! You can't just shut people off, it's been a year," Blaine could feel himself desperate to get through to her.

"You don't know me, you don't know my family, and you don't know my life!"

"Effie, please!"

"Why do you want to help anyway?" She asked on the verge of tears. No one had wanted to listen after the first few months following her father's death. Apparently, to her friends and teachers, three months was the maximum grieving time allowed.

Blaine was blown away by the question. _Why wouldn't anyone want to help?_

"Because you matter," He started, "Because I care about you and not just how you're doing in my class or in school, but in your personal life. As a teacher, I took on a responsibility not only to teach you, but also to care about you as a person, and not just my student. But, more than that Effie," Blaine crossed from his desk and held her hand, which made her look up from where she had trained her eyes on the floor, "you're a great kid—you're smart, you're funny, and you have a knack for catching symbolism in literature." They both laughed lightly at that. "You matter, Effie, and that's why I want to help."

Blaine could see the tears forming in her eyes where she was desperately trying to hold them back. She looked back down at the ground and whispered a "thank you," before looking up again and suddenly hugging Blaine fiercely. She pulled away as quickly as she had embraced him, but the weight of that gesture was not lost on Blaine. They stood there for a few more seconds before Effie left to get her books in her locker. Once she had shut the door, Blaine let out an audible sigh, and smiled to himself. _This is why I am a teacher. _

xxxxxxxxxx

"Effie came and apologized this morning." Blaine was currently on his lunch break, talking on the phone with Kurt.

"So that's why she left early."

Blaine had thought hard about whether to share what he called "The Breakthrough" with Kurt. It was evident that Effie was an incredibly private person, but he thought Kurt would be proud of her progress, and he personally knew what it felt like to constantly seek for his father's approval in every aspect of his life, especially at the age Effie is now.

"Yah, it was actually somewhat of a breakthrough." Blaine stated proudly.

"Uh huh? Do tell." Kurt jarred lightly.

"Well she came and apologized and I told her that I understood where she was coming from, with the death of a parent and all, and she got really defensive about that information. She finally asked me why I even wanted to help, and I explained to her that I really do care, and that she matters, that people should care about her. It all ended with a hug, a quick hug, but a hug, nonetheless, and I think she felt better afterwards."

What Blaine didn't know was that as he was explaining the encounter, Kurt's heart was doing summersaults. Hearing just how much the man, whom he had so many pent up feelings for, cared for his daughter, whom he loved with all his being, was making him even happier than when he had come home the night after kissing Blaine.

When Kurt hadn't responded after what seemed like minutes, Blaine got worried that he had overstepped. He just wanted to help this girl, whom just happened to be Kurt's daughter. Did it add another level to his interest that he had a lot of feelings for her father? Yes. But did that change the fact that she was a student and that he would've helped her anyway? Absolutely not.

"Kurt…?" He ventured. "Look, I'm sorry if I overstepped, it's just—"

"No, no, you didn't overstep. Well, maybe you did, but no I really appreciate it. Honestly, I didn't answer because I thought it was so amazing. You, well this encounter just reminds me of how good a guy you are, and I'm just wondering why the universe is letting me have a second chance with you."

"Oh…" Blaine was certainly not expecting the conversation to go in this direction, but it wasn't an unwelcome change. "You're not so bad yourself, Hummel" Blaine said to lighten the mood, though he really did mean it. He was extremely lucky to be getting this chance, and he didn't want to screw it up.

**A/N: The next chapter will be a bit of a time jump, because I want to get to the good part of the relationship between Kurt and Blaine. I have a math exam tomorrow, so I may not get one up, but after that I'm hoping to get a new chapter up everyday until I go on vacation. Regarding the Chapter 4, I based Blaine's apartment on my friend's apartment in NYC, and I've posted some pictures of the view from the roof on tumblr and I'll leave the link on my profile page. Thanks again for the reviews and keep them coming with suggestions, especially for when Blaine and Kurt start to become more serious. **


	6. Chapter 6

It had been a month since that first date and both men would say that the relationship had been progressing as smoothly as they had hoped. During a long talk after their second date, they had agreed to focus on the emotional side of the relationship before the physical—they both knew how easy it could be to get caught up in the sex, and they wanted to make sure that the things they were feeling weren't just lust, but something deeper—the physical side would be just another perk later on, and the anticipation was nothing if not extended foreplay, or at least, that's how Kurt liked to look at it optimistically. Kurt had yet to share the news to Effie about his budding relationship, figuring he would like it to get serious before it came around that her father was dating her teacher. He knew that after they told her Blaine would probably have to switch her out of his class, and so they decided to wait until the end of the school year, that way they had the entire summer to bond and hopefully not be awkward when school started up again in the Fall. That was Kurt's ideal situation. But, there was nothing keeping Kurt from meeting Ollie, and the more he heard about him, the more he seemed like a mini-me of Blaine, and the more he wanted to meet him. But, he waited patiently for Blaine to ask him, knowing he would when he was ready, and finally that day came.

"Would you like to go out to lunch with me and Ollie today?"

"Ooh, lunch with the infamous tot. I'd love too. Are you sure you're ready for that though?"

"Absolutely. You know that Thai place on 9th and 48th? Wanna meet me there at 1?"

"Yup. See you then."

Kurt made his way down 9th and found the restaurant Blaine had mentioned. The maitre'd spotted him and led him to the back of the restaurant where he spotted two heads of dark curly hair. Kurt was particularly happy that Ollie had inherited that trait of Blaine's. Blaine caught Kurt's eye and gave him a thousand-watt smile, that showed how genuinely happy and, more importantly, ready he was to introduce Kurt to his son. He got up and kissed Kurt softly and led him to his seat where he pulled the chair out for him and waited for him to be seated before he made his way over to his side of the table. Ollie looked up from where he was coloring and smiled, and _God_, Kurt thought,_ he has Blaine's smile, too_. His deep cobalt eyes though were somehow deeper and more striking, whereas Blaine's hazel ones where very soft and open.

"Hi," Ollie stuck out his hand for Kurt to shake, "I'm Oliver Anderson. Who are you?"

"Well, hello Oliver. My name is Kurt Hummel," Kurt did a little bow while shaking his hand and Ollie giggled.

Ollie quickly went back to his drawing after making light conversation with Blaine and now Kurt and Blaine were talking about Kurt's last few days at work, and how they seemed to be getting tougher as Fashion Week approached. Neither of the men really expected Ollie to be listening, as he was so enthralled in his coloring book.

"…I swear, she's trying to tell me that I stole her idea. Please, she wouldn't be able to come up with a good idea if it knocked her over the head. Just because she works for Vogue does not mean she is the ruler of all. God, when she said that she was told she was the new Alexander McQueen, I could've slapped her! Who does she think she's talking to?"

"You would never hit my daddy, would you?"

Both the boys whipped their heads to look at Ollie, where he just sat looking intensely at his drawing. When neither boy answered him, he looked up a little worried.

"Would you hit my daddy?"

"Oliver, no, no, of course not. I would never hit anyone, especially your father. We're friends." What Kurt had yet to notice was the mortified look on Blaine's face.

"Good. I like you, Kurt. You seem like a nice person, and I wouldn't want you to hurt my dad, because he's awesome." He went back to coloring his book, and asked, offhandedly, "That means you wouldn't hurt me either, right?"

"Never. Oliver, I want you to know that I will never do anything to intentionally hurt either you or your father. Ok?"

"Ok, thanks." Oliver looked satisfied, and so Kurt turned around to see Blaine, silent tears forming in his eyes and escaping down his cheeks. That's when it hit him. Oliver's other father, Blaine's ex, didn't have custody of Ollie for "reasons", which must've had something to do with physical abuse. The thought of anyone hitting Blaine or his son infuriated Kurt to a level that he didn't think he was capable of, and at the same time, made him want to hold Blaine and never let him go. He just reached across the table and found Blaine's hand where he had been quickly wiping his tears, and grabbed it in the most comforting gesture he could come up with in a packed restaurant in midtown Manhattan. Blaine smiled sadly and they sat there content to just stare at each other, waiting until they got to a more private place to have the talk they knew they were about to have.

When they finally made there way to Blaine's apartment after a long walk in midtown, Oliver was slowly falling asleep in his father's arms, his head sagging onto Blaine's shoulder. Blaine tucked him into bed for his nap and as soon as he shut Ollie's door, he knew that he and Kurt were about to have the conversation that he'd been anticipating and dreading ever since telling Kurt that he was single. It's not that he didn't trust Kurt with the information; it was that he knew that this moment, Kurt's reaction would determine whether they could continue this relationship. So, Blaine made his way over to Kurt who embraced him in a tight hug. As Kurt began to whisper, "it's okay", over and over again in his ear, Blaine's defenses crumbled, and he emitted an audible sob as his body shook in Kurt's fierce embrace. They stood like that for a few minutes, just holding onto each other, when Blaine pulled back and motioned for Kurt to come to the couch with him. Once again, Blaine fell into Kurt's arms and put his head on his chest, this time knowing that he was ready to talk about it.

"I met Ryan seven years ago. I hadn't been in a serious relationship, or at least one that didn't end badly since you. I was slowly encroaching on thirty and convinced that I was never going to find someone again. Ryan was a lawyer who I met at a show one night. I was playing a set at this local pub and he approached me, made me feel special. We dated for a while and things were looking up. His profession was stable, so we were able to find a good apartment together after a few months. Everything seemed rushed, but I figured that I ought to be spontaneous now that I was getting older. Soon enough, we were engaged with a kid on the way. Everything was happening so fast and I felt like I was on a freight train that if I tried to stop, would just run me over. To give you the cliff notes version, everything was fine until about a year and a half ago, when Ryan started to be away more often, always for…business. He was also becoming extremely paranoid about me and my relationships with my friends, which at first I just took as flattery, you know, him showing his possessiveness. One night, he came home and I had just put Oliver down to bed, and he kept asking me where I was today, convinced that I was keeping something from him. Well, anyway, he got so mad that when I told him that he was crazy for thinking I'd cheat on him, he punched me." For the first time since the beginning of his speech, Blaine took a few moments to just breath and let that sink in. Kurt continued to absorb everything Blaine was telling him, convinced that listening and holding him were the best things he could be doing for Blaine right now.

"I was shocked. You always here about the possibility and warning signs of abusive relationships, but it had never even entered my mind with Ryan. Anyway, he was still furious and Ollie had clearly heard the yelling and so he had gotten out of bed to see what was happening. For some reason, seeing him rush over to me only got him angrier as he picked him up and started screaming at him. That's what really broke me out of my bubble. The second he tried to hurt Ollie, well, that's when I knew I had to get out. It wasn't safe for either of us, so I took Ollie and walked out the door, and thank god Coop was living in the city and offered me a place to stay for as long as it was needed. Long story short, I reported him but he was already gone, all of his stuff out of our apartment and Ollie and I tried to move on with our lives. That day when he hit me was eight months ago…"

Everything was silent again, and Blaine felt more content with himself than he had since everything had started up with Ryan.

"Blaine…Blaine, you are the bravest person I've ever met."

Blaine locked eyes with Kurt and smiled gratefully, knowing if he tried to refute the statement, he would come face to face with Kurt's stubbornness, and he would never win that battle. Instead, Blaine changed his position so he was straddling Kurt on the couch, and began to caress him with a kiss that was both caring and fierce, loving and passionate. Kurt quickly reciprocated the attack, sliding his tongue along Blaine's bottom lip, asking him for entrance. Continuing to explore each other's mouths with their tongues, they slipped behind teeth and under lips to get reacquainted with an orifice they had previously known so well. As they separated for air, Blaine began to kiss his way down Kurt's neck, hovering over his pulse point and sucking fiercely, determined to make a hickey on the beautiful pale skin, forcing Kurt to emit a low moan that went straight to Blaine's dick. Blaine slipped Kurt's shirt out of his pants and began to unbutton the first few buttons and slipped his hand under, caressing Kurt's chest and flicking his nipple. Kurt moaned again and unconsciously bucked his hips. Blaine pulled back for a second and looked at Kurt with his lust-blown eyes, silently asking for permission to go further. With a small nod of his head, Blaine kisses were back on him like wildfire. He finished unbuttoning Kurt's shirt before pulling off his own and lowering himself back down so that their chests were in direct skin-to-skin contact. Both boys groaned at the contact. As Blaine rubbed his hands up and down Kurt's sides, occasionally making his way over his chest and paying attention to his nipples, he breathlessly asked a question that neither were expecting:

"How, how long has it been?"

"What?"

"How long has it been? Since someone's touched you?"

"Too long," Kurt laughed breathlessly.

"Seriously? How long?"

"Ugg, Blaine, I don't know, like six months. I discovered that I'm not a one-night-stand kinda guy." Kurt bucked his hips up into Blaine, and the other man reciprocated the action.

Blaine reached down to cup Kurt through his jeans and as Kurt took a sharp intake of breath, he asked in a sultry voice: "Was it worth the wait?"

Blaine was now slowly rubbing Kurt and he was struggling to put words together, let alone form a coherent sentence. "Uhh, I, uh, I don't know." He mewled as Blaine started to rub more fiercely. Blaine could distinctly feel Kurt hardening underneath his hand. "Why don't we find out?"

And with that, Blaine was quickly working at the zipper to Kurt's pants and ripping them down his legs. At the same time, Kurt deftly worked off Blaine's pants and threw them off to the side. Now that both boys were in nothing but their underwear, they took a moment to marvel in each other's beauty. But, the moment soon ended as Kurt took a hold of Blaine's thighs, making to lift him up and asked: "Bedroom?"

Blaine replied with a fierce nod and a gesture indicating the second door down the hallway. With that, Kurt attached his mouth back to Blaine's and hoisted him up, carrying him to the bedroom.

**A/N: Don't worry, the continuation of this scene will be in the next chapter, so you won't miss out on any sexy times. I know this chapter was a bit angsty, but I wanted to get Blaine's story out in the open so they could move forward. I'm hoping that the next few chapters will be lighter, and coming up they will be telling Effie about the relationship (that should be fun). Always appreciate the reviews! Thanks! **


	7. Chapter 7

Kurt kicked the door shut and made his way to the bed in the center of the room, fiercely but carefully throwing Blaine into the center. He quickly made his way up and straddled him, only to be turned around so that Blaine was now on top. Blaine began to kiss his way down the older man's neck, teasing the pale skin with feather light touches of his lips and tongue. Kurt snaked his hands around Blaine's body and ran them down his back, feeling the contours of every muscle until he found the one he was most interested in—he gave a quick squeeze to Blaine's ass, beckoning his hips downwards as they ground into each other. He massaged the cheeks, and once they set up a rhythm, he found his way under Blaine's boxers. Blaine gasped as he felt Kurt's fingers teasing his crack, and pulled back quickly.

Kurt's body was flushed, his lips stained red and bruised from the kissing, his hair mussed out of its perfectly coiffed position, and his lust-blown pupils disguising his normally glasz eyes. Oh, and also there was the line of his straining erection showing through his deep red boxers, but Blaine was trying hard not to focus on that at the moment. He stared into Kurt's eyes, which were now questioning why Blaine's lips had left his, and why they weren't still grinding. As Blaine was struggling to regain his breath, he panted out, "Do you think we should talk about this?"

Quickly, Kurt spun them around again, this time so he could control the pace and began to kiss at Blaine's neck, stopping every few pecks to speak.

"I don't think this is the best time to talk. You want this. I want this. We've waited a month." He looked into the other man's eyes. "Now, please get your hands back where they were a few minutes ago, because I haven't been this hard in months and you can't just leave me here stranded." Kurt smirked and Blaine grinned slyly, not needed to be told twice, and resumed his previous actions.

After further getting reacquainted with each other's lips and hips, the boys both knew they needed something more, and as they separated their mouths momentarily to catch their breath, Kurt leaned over to Blaine's left ear.

"Touch me" He panted more as their breaths mixed in their tight embrace, "Please."

Blaine nodded his head fiercely and began to make is way down Kurt's chest, making sure to pay special attention to his nipples, not leaving until the nubs stood peaked at attention begging for more. Kurt's legs began to give out and Blaine flipped him over so that his back was now on the bed. He leaned halfway over, and began to follow the trail of hands with his lips as Kurt made sounds halfway between a mewl and a groan, and Blaine laughed just waiting to see what he'd sound like when he made his way a little south. As he got to Kurt's boxers, he scratched down his chest with his nails as he licked from his right hipbone to the left. Kurt bucked his hips up and begged, "Blaine, stop teasing," and Blaine smiled to himself.

Finally he came back up quickly to give Kurt a peck on the lips, and made his way back down, pulling down Kurt's boxers in the process. As he came eye level with Kurt's cock, he wrapped his hand around the base and started to make quick strokes upwards. Kurt's moans dropped an octave as he bucked up, desperately seeking more friction.

"God, Blaine, ugggg" Kurt moaned, "Your hand, I ju—" Kurt mewled loudly as Blaine dragged his thumb over the slit, collecting the pre-cum that was collecting generously at the tip.

"Shhhhh," Blaine began as he continued to stroke Kurt, "Kurt, you have to be quiet if you don't want to be interrupted by Ollie waking up from his nap."

At that, Kurt began to make choked noises that made it obvious how hard he was trying to keep quiet. Blaine had forgot how loud Kurt was in bed, but that definitely was not something he was about to complain about.

"God, Blaine…Blaine, if you don't stop, uhhhh, I-I'm gonna, uggg" Kurt was having trouble forming a coherent sentence when Blaine began to squeeze harder and twist his wrist on the upstroke.

Kurt bucked his hips up further as he desperately panted out, "B-Blaine, I'm serious. Uhhh, I'm gonna come, please."

"Shhhh, Kurt, just relax. Come for me."

With a jolt, Kurt was coming as Blaine continued to whisper sweet nothings in his ear. Blaine stroked him through his orgasm until oversensitivity forced Kurt to wince and pull away. Blaine disappeared for a second and came back with wipes, using a few on Kurt's stomach and his hand, and putting the rest on the bedside table. Just as Blaine finished throwing the wipes in the trash, Kurt noticed his still apparent hard-on and regained much of his energy, waiting til Blaine was back on the bed and then pouncing.

"Woah, Kurt, you don't have to—"

Kurt kissed him fiercely and then pulled away, Blaine clearly able to see his pupils still blown wide with lust. "Blaine, just shut up and relax," Kurt said, as he began kissing his way down Blaine's body, licking and nipping at his nipples. Blaine moaned and Kurt took that as a good sign, making his way further down until he quickly enveloped Blaine's cock in his mouth. Blaine mewled at the surprise, his breathing quickly speeding up as he began babbling Kurt's name over and over, many times the actual word getting lost in his mouth. Kurt hollowed his cheeks and sucked fiercely, causing Blaine to buck his hips until Kurt's nose was nuzzled in his pubic hair. Blaine continued to moan as Kurt began to fondle his balls, occasionally licking past the base and under his sac, quickly moving back up to the target area. Pretty soon, Blaine's stamina couldn't take it anymore and he snaked his hand down so it was latched in Kurt's hair, a silent warning that he was about to come. Kurt had other plans, though, and just stayed in his spot and sucked more fiercely, bringing his tongue around to tease the slit, and that's when Blaine came with a shout, praying to god in his haze that he wasn't loud enough to wake up Ollie. Kurt licked Blaine clean and made his way up to lie beside the other man kissing him softly. Blaine tasted himself in Kurt's mouth and his cock gave a noble twitch, but he definitely did not have the recovery time that he used to in his teenage years, so the effort was futile. Blaine pulled Kurt to lay his head on his chest; a mirror of the position the two had been in when Blaine had been telling Kurt the story of his past relationship. As Kurt lay on his chest, he could distinctly feel Blaine's heart beating, and his chest, rising and falling with each breath. As the two men lay there in a content silence, they both thought that there was no place they'd rather be than in each other's arms. Kurt noticed how safe he felt, wrapped up in Blaine's strong arms, seemingly protected from everything and everyone else. That's when he realized that he was, once again, falling for Blaine Anderson, and he was falling hard.

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When Kurt got home that afternoon, Effie noticed that grin her father had been wearing for a month now, and finally decided to confront him about it. She had noticed her dad dressing up more for certain "meetings" or "dinners with a friend" and the only conclusion she could come to was that he was dating someone, and he really, really liked that someone. That and also the fact that he had come home today with his hair uncharacteristically messy and a hickey on his neck, almost in the exact same spot in which Effie had one a few months ago and had gotten in trouble for. Well, look how the tables have turned.

Effie turned the tv off and made her way into the kitchen where Kurt was humming to himself while preparing dinner—homemade pizza with chicken and roasted red peppers. Effie stood in the doorway and watched her father for a little while until Kurt noticed her.

"Hey, Ef, what's up?"

"Nothing." Kurt was able to see right through that with even look at her. He gave a soft laugh before answering.

"Now, Effie, I may not always be on my game, but after living for 15 years with you, I think I know when it's something." He looked up and smiled at her, "Now spill."

"Well, I actually wanted to talk about you." She had a glint of something in her eyes, almost hopefulness and that quickly caught Kurt's weakness.

Kurt put the pizza in the oven and turned his full attention to Effie, leaning over the countertop. "Okay." After Effie didn't respond, he probed with, "Did you have anything particular in mind?"

"Well, yah," she laughed awkwardly, "I just noticed that you had been, I don't know, I guess, happier than usual, and I was just wondering if there was something you wanted to tell me?"

Kurt froze. What was he supposed to say? He was planning on having this conversation with Effie in another month, with all of his words perfectly planned out; he was, by no means, ready for this.

But, he needed to be. He knew that Effie had a great perception and just as Kurt was able to see through her, she would easily be able to see through him, especially now that he had been silent for longer than socially acceptable. He sighed and just decided to tell her as much of the truth as he felt comfortable with divulging.

"Yes. I am dating someone."

"Okay…Can I meet him? I mean, he seems to make you happy, and, I guess, I just wanted to meet him."

Effie's shyness at the topic broke Kurt's heart. He didn't know how she would take Kurt getting into the first serious relationship after her father's death, but she seemed to be handling it with incredible maturity. Of course, maybe she was just having a good day. Only god knows what mood she would be in when she actually met Blaine.

"Effie, I would love for you to meet him." Kurt hesitated, thinking about it. "And I'm very proud at how mature you're being about this, but…not yet. You'll understand when you do meet him, but there's a reason."

"Why is he like ugly or blind or something?" Kurt laughed at that, thinking that "ugly" was probably the exact opposite way to describe Blaine physically.

"No, Effie, he's definitely not ugly. Or blind. No physical deformities to speak of. It's just, I'm not comfortable yet with him meeting you."

At Effie's slightly offended look, Kurt quickly backtracked.

"No, no, Effie, I'm not embarrassed or uncomfortable with you." Kurt sighed, trying to think of a way to explain it, but only being able to concentrate on the fact that he really wanted Effie to meet Blaine. And well, by meet, he means the Blaine who he's dating and not her teacher. "Okay, how about I invite him over tomorrow for dinner and you can meet him then?"

"Are you sure, dad, cause I mean, if you're uncomfortable—"

"Effie, I want to do this. I want you to meet him, and I want him to meet you. Okay?"

Effie nodded softly, but Kurt could tell that she was struggling to contain her excitement. Kurt walked around the island and pulled Effie into a bear hug.

"Okay, but you have to promise to be nice. Please?"

"I can't promise anything." Effie winked and Kurt laughed, making his way to the oven to check on the pizza.

Somehow, Kurt sensed that Effie would not be so positive when she found out that he was dating her teacher, whom she used to call "Dr. Asshole", but refused to stay anything but optimistic.

**A/N: Okay, so next chapter is the big meeting! I'm excited to bring Sassy Effie back and also see how Kurt and Blaine act around each other when Effie is watching them. Also gonna try to get in some quality Effie/Ollie time. Please keep reviewing with thoughts and suggestions and thanks to everyone who is reading the story!**


	8. Chapter 8

When Kurt had called Blaine last night, telling him about his conversation with Effie, Blaine was more than understanding, though admittedly a bit nervous. He knew firsthand how quick Effie could switch into defensive mode and shut him out, and if she sensed in anyway that Blaine was trying to step in her territory, she would attack, especially since she had trusted him as her teacher. School was over in a few weeks though, and now that his class had already taken their AP exams, they only had class once a week. Basically, if Blaine and Effie could get through three more classes after tonight, they would be home free.

Blaine's optimism helped a bit, though Kurt did have trouble sleeping that night, thinking of how he didn't want to lose Blaine over something as possible as his daughter not liking him.

He did as many things throughout the day to distract him from the impending dinner: grocery shopping at Food Emporium, taking a few last-minute business calls to finalize the designs for the runway show coming up next week, and taking a run in central park. While Effie was at her dance class, Kurt began to cook what he thought was the perfect meal for the first, hopefully of many, dinners that their two families would have together, a meal reminiscent of the many dates the two had gone on as teenagers to Breadstix: chicken parmigiana, over penne with homemade tomato sauce. Kurt may not have been able to cook a lot of things from scratch lately, but when he did it, the meals were nothing short of five-star.

At 5:30, an hour before Blaine and Ollie were scheduled to arrive, Effie came in sweaty and tired from her ballet class and the subsequent walk from the subway to their apartment. Kurt quickly shooed her upstairs to take a shower and get ready and while all the food was cooking, he decided to do the same. As he was drying his hair and about to get dressed from the sweats he had put on after the shower, he was called into Effie's room, which was nothing short of a disaster. There were three different shirt/skirt combinations lying on her bed as well as two different dresses and five different pairs of shoes. She had a slightly panicked look on her face that Kurt couldn't help but chuckle at.

"Dad, why are you laughing? I'm having a crisis!"

"A crisis?" He knew exactly what she was talking about, though, and was mostly laughing about how much she was like he was in high school. "How can I be of assistance?"

"Well, I knew exactly what outfit I wanted to wear tonight, I had it planned out and everything, and then when I got home I realized that it was at the drycleaners and they're not open on Sundays so I couldn't go get it. Now I have no idea what to wear! I don't want mystery man to think that I live under a rock."

"Are you asking for my fashion advice?" Kurt wanted to draw this out as long as possible because it was quite a rare occurrence for Effie to ask him advice about anything, especially fashion, even though it is his job. She likes to think that she is above his knowledge after running a clothing line for ten years, so he wanted to savor this moment.

"Yes, ok. Can we just get this over with?"

"Okay," Kurt finally relented, happy to be able to do this for his daughter, "This shirt, with this skirt, the tights that I got you for Christmas last year, and these boots."

As Effie worked to absorb everything that her father had just said, she had an impressed look plastered on her face.

"I hate to say it, but you're a genius," She said quickly as she began to round everything up, pushing Kurt out of the room.

Kurt had decided on a blue checkered shirt, paired with a navy cardigan and a grey scarf for himself, and after taking a few looks in the mirror decided that he was dinner worthy. Just then, he heard the buzzer sound and he rushed down the stairs.

"Hey, come on up."

"Kay, see you in a few…You sure you're ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Kurt said in the most confident tone he could muster.

In the background he could hear Ollie saying something to Blaine, and chuckled to himself.

"Good, because I think Ollie would be extremely disappointed if you pulled out on him now." Ollie was now pulling on Blaine's sleeve to go upstairs.

"Blaine, you do realize that we're having an entire conversation over my building's intercom, right?"

"Right, okay." Blaine laughed, "Be right up."

Just Blaine entered the building, Kurt yelled up to Effie to give her fair warning: "Eff, Blaine's here, and he'll be up in a few minutes."

"Ooh, I get a name now?" Effie joked as she made her way downstairs.

"Hahaha," laughed sarcastically, "Yes, his name is Blaine and he's actually bringing his son, so be nice to both of them please."

"Ooh, a son? Is he cute?" Effie teased.

"He's four." Kurt deadpanned, and couldn't help but laugh at the disappointed look on Effie's face. "Nice try though."

"Wait, Blaine why does that sound kinda familiar?" Effie asked, more to herself than anyone, as a knock came at the door and Kurt ran to answer it.

It all kind of happened in a rush. Ollie running in from the hallway and jumping into Kurt's legs—definitely not a shy kid, Kurt realized, Effie coming in from the kitchen where they had been standing, to see some kid holding onto her father's legs, Blaine coming in and kissing Kurt on the cheek. The first thing Effie noticed was how cute the kid was, which usually meant a cute father. When she looked up she noticed the profile of the man—Blaine's—body and he was attractive: well dressed in preppy clothes, slim body, a nice head of black curly hair—like the little boy's—and right as she went in to analyze the face, the realization of who this man was hit her like a brick dropped from the Empire State Building. She knew him. She knew the guy her father had been dating for at least a month. More importantly and disturbingly, her _father _was dating her _teacher_.

"Mr. Anderson?" Was all she could ask incredulously. Both men, seemingly caught up in each other's eyes at the moment, remembered where they were and turned to the awestruck girl. Neither man knew what to say, so they all just stared at each other until Blaine tried to break the awkward silence: "Effie, hi, how are you—"

Blaine's voice seemed to snap Effie out of her stupor because she immediately went from dazed and confused, to angry and still confused.

"You're dating Mr. Anderson?" She asked pointedly at her father. He laughed self-consciously, and was only able to mumble, "Surprise," before Effie was suddenly unleashing her wrath, not even she understanding why she was so angry.

"Dad, you're dating my teacher? Do you even understand how uncomfortable that is for me? Is even aloud? I feel like there is some school policy or something against this-Wait," she looked at Blaine again, "You're gay?"

Blaine laughed at the fact that that was the question Effie had decided to ask him. It was clear that Effie had run out of breath after this question, so Blaine decided that it was a good time for him to get a chance to get a word in. "Yah, I'm gay" He laughed, "I'm definitely gay!" Blaine joked as he tried to lighten the mood. Kurt gently nudged him, telling him this was not the time, and Ollie just asked, "Wait, Daddy what does gay mean?"

It seemed that everyone had forgotten Ollie was there for a moment, but now everyone was looking down at the boy where he was now standing in between Kurt and Blaine, holding on to Blaine's sweater. Effie rolled her eyes and went into the kitchen to sit down at the table and Blaine and Kurt just looked up at each other and laughed.

"That could've been better."

"Well, on the bright side, Effie didn't kill me." Both of the boys were both softly giggling, glad that this wasn't going to cause problems or tension between them.

"Well, I wouldn't be sure of anything yet, I thought steam was going to come out of her head."

Ollie had seemingly lost interest and made is way into the living room where he began to look through some of Kurt's magazines.

"Well, if I can deal with your father after him finding me with my hand down your pants, I think I can deal with Effie." That caused the boys to enter into more fits of laughter, calming down after a minute and kissing softly. The broke away after what seemed like no time to Blaine and Kurt took his hand and led them into the dining room, where Effie was already sitting, staring at her phone.

"Ollie, we're about to have dinner, wanna come in here?"

"Cooooming, daddy!" Ollie yelled as he maneuvered his way through the kitchen to find the dining room. Instead of sitting next to Blaine, he picked the chair right next to where Effie was sulking and began to pay extra attention to the aforementioned girl. After a minute, Effie noticed Ollie staring and looked up, giving him a weak smile, her anger seeming to dissolve by the minute. Kurt was thanking any god that was up there for that.

Once the food was brought over and complimented immensely by Blaine, much to Kurt's liking and seeming to provoke Effie's gag reflex, polite conversation began, mostly dominated by the two men, occasionally trying to incorporate Effie and Ollie, though the latter was being much more willing than the former.

Effie was still letting the full weight of the situation sink in—Mr. Anderson, Blaine-_oh god, that was weird_-is her teacher, her favorite teacher, now, and she thought that she was getting close to another adult for the first time in a while out of his own caring nature. But, _no, _she thought_, it was so he could get into my dad's pants. Once he's done with that I'll lose one of the best teacher's I've ever had and part of my father. I can't let that happen_.

Kurt noticed Effie's thinking face and decided to confront it now, figuring it was probably involving his relationship with Blaine. Just as the conversation died down, he addressed her.

"Effie, what're you thinking about."

She was knocked out of her trance by her father's voice, looking up at his expecting face. She really didn't want to disappoint him by what she was thinking about; the last thing she wanted was for her father to get hurt. "Nothing." She tried to go back to eating her food, but Kurt wouldn't have it.

"Effie, what did I tell you yesterday? I can see right through that."

Effie stared back at him, her willpower giving out by the second, but glanced to Ollie quickly, tipping Kurt off that she didn't want him in the room. Blaine noticed as well and took the initiative, considering Ollie had finished.

"Hey, Ollie, do you wanna go to the living room and play with the toys we brought over?"

Kurt didn't think that he would ever see a grin as big as Ollie's, and he thought it was adorable how excited he got over the smallest things. He nodded his head fervently and Blaine laughed at his excitement.

"Okay, they're in the bag by the door." With that, Ollie hopped off his chair and was out of the room.

After a few seconds, Kurt looked back at Effie, waiting for her to start the conversation he had felt coming since Blaine had set foot in the apartment.

Effie took a deep breath and put her fork down from where she had been picking at her salad and looked up at both of the men.

"I'm going to try and be honest because you seem to make my dad really happy," she was speaking to Blaine, but then quickly diverted her attention between both of them, "But I just want to know that my dad isn't some quick fuck. I just, I want to know that you're planning on taking care of him, and I want to know that you weren't just being nice to me to get into his pants." She was staring at the table now. "I'm usually not this blunt, but my therapist said that I shouldn't bottle stuff in as much, and Mr. Anderson," at that she looked Blaine directly in the eye, "you told me to tell someone if I'm having a problem. So there it is. I am."

Both men were surprised at the outburst, most of all, Kurt, whom had never seen his daughter be so forthcoming about her feelings or intentions.

Blaine turned to face Effie now, hoping to reassure her as much as he could: "Effie, I care about your father so much. I would never want to hurt him. And also, the fact that I just happened to be dating him had absolutely no impact on our relationship, okay? I care about you, too, as a student, and now as my boyfriend's daughter."

Effie still didn't look positive, though she was feeling better after Blaine's words.

"Yah, but how do I know that you're not just some random guy who's looking to manipulate my father."

Kurt couldn't help but laugh, and Blaine gave him a pointed look. Effie looked up, offended.

"Dad, I'm serious! You wouldn't think this was so funny if it turns out to be true."

"Effie, I can assure you that Blaine is not trying to use me or manipulate me."

"But, dad, you've only known him for a month!"

At that both boys were silent and slowly turned to each other, begging themselves not to give the secret away with their faces. Apparently, they weren't _that_ good.

"What?" When no one answered, Effie started to get more agitated, "What? What aren't you telling me?"

Kurt asked permission with his eyes and Blaine gave him a slight nod, and both men turned back to face Effie.

"Um, actually, Ef, we've known each other for longer."

"Oh. Really? But my parent-teacher conference thing was a month ago, and I just assumed that that's where you met…how long?"

"What?" asked Kurt, trying to prolong the process.

"How long have you known each other?"

"Twenty years," Blaine blurted out.

Nothing could've beat Effie's face at that moment.

**A/N: Okay, I'm gonna leave you hanging there, but only for a day, at the most. I felt like there was a lot of buildup to this chapter, so I hope you guys liked it and reviews would be the best! I posted on the Tumblr for my fanfiction what Effie's, Kurt's, and Oliver's outfits look like during this scene, and I could figure out Blaine if y'all want it. Just follow the link on my author profile page and it should bring you right there. Lastly, thanks to everyone who's been reviewing constantly—the suggestions really help! **


	9. Chapter 9

"Twenty years?"

Both men just stared at her with dopey, reminiscent, but slightly guilty expressions on their faces, thanking god that she seemed more confused than outright angry.

"That was like, when you were what? In high school?" she looked at Blaine, "You're from Ohio?"

"Yah."

"So you guys like went to the same high school? How come I never met you? This all seems very sketchy, if you ask me." The men laughed to try and ease the tension, but Effie was having none of it. She wanted answers. So, she gave the men her best "I'm waiting" glare, and they quickly looked at each other before choosing their words carefully.

"Okay, Effie" Kurt began, "I will tell you the entire story another day. But, yes we went to the same high school."

"Well, not exactly. Not at first." Blaine was egging him on. Kurt slowly turned to face Blaine and gave him the best pointed look he could muster, but the teasing smile on Blaine's face only made the edges of his lips curl slightly. Blaine was definitely relishing in Kurt's pain.

"You're enjoying this?" Kurt asked and Blaine could only nod his head dopily, reminding him so much of a little kid, of Ollie.

"What? Dad, what is he talking about?"

When she figured out that she wasn't going to get anything out of her father, she turned to Blaine, figuring that he was less used to her manipulation, and would do anything to get on her good side.

"Spill. You can't just tease me with that."

Blaine looked at Kurt quickly, silently asking for permission, and Kurt just nodded, accepting his defeat, something he was still not quite good at.

"Where do I even begin?" He teased, and Kurt laughed quietly to himself.

"Um, well let's start with the 'we kinda went to the same school' comment, because that doesn't make any sense."

Blaine was so glad to see Effie happy and excited for the first time tonight, that he couldn't resist telling her everything.

"Well," he began and took a big breath, indicating that it was a long story, "I actually went to Dalton Academy, which is a private school in Ohio, and I was in a competing show choir—"

"The warblers, right? Dad, I thought you went to that school for like half a year or something? Is that how you met?"

"We'll get there," said Kurt relaxed, coming to terms with his fate.

"Patience, grasshopper, we have a long way to go," Blaine professed and smiled at Kurt, genuinely happy to tell of their budding teenage love to someone two decades later. This is how he had imagined Kurt and himself telling their kids when he would imagine their future back as a naïve eighteen-year-old. This would just have to do for now.

"Okay, so like I said, I was at Dalton in a competing show choir—the warblers, like you said, Effie—and I was on my way to one of my performances when someone stopped me on the stairs. I turned around and it was the most beautiful boy I had ever seen, asking me what was going on, proclaiming that he was new to the school. That beautiful boy was none other than this man," Blaine exclaimed animatedly, pointing to Kurt. Kurt just smiled, caught up in the nostalgia of his high school years.

Just then, Ollie came trudging into the room, looking sad.

"Daddy, it's been forever and no one's come to play with me," he whined, but Kurt could only find it adorable.

"Awww, I'm sorry kiddo. Do you wanna come up here and listen to a story?" Blaine asked as he patted his lap, and Ollie climbed on, resting his head on Blaine's chest.

"What story, Daddy?"

"It's the story about how I met Kurt!" Blaine exclaimed excitedly, acting like it was nothing short of the many fairytales he would tell Ollie every night before bed.

Ollie smiled up at him and looked content.

"Kurt, would you like to continue?" Blaine teased, realizing Kurt had finally gotten over his worry about Effie's reaction and was starting to enjoy the process of storytelling.

"Where did you leave off, again? Oh right, you were saying I was beautiful."

Blaine stuck his tongue out in response, but stayed silent so Kurt could continue.

"Yes, so Blaine took me to the Warblers performance and little did I know that he was the lead singer. Anyway, he left me in the audience and lined up with the other boys and started singing teenage dream."

"Ugg, that's so old school."

Both boys had to laugh at that.

"Katy Perry was definitely not old school then. Blaine was nothing but Top 40, day and night."

"Don't forget about Candles!"

"Okay, except for Candles."

"I feel like I'm missing so much…I'm really confused."

"Okay, so he sang "Teenage Dream" and then we ended up going out to coffee, Blaine realizing that I had been sent by my glee club to spy. Skipping over the emotional part," emphasizing that part to Effie, knowing that she would gag at that part anyway, "we became fast friends. I eventually transferred to Dalton, and…"

"Oh, come on you know you want to tell the rest."

"Ooh, there's more? What's the rest? Come one, Dad, please?"

Kurt had never seen Effie this excited to learn about his past, so he couldn't help but placate her requests.

"Well, after a few months we both realized we had feelings for each other and we started dating."

"Kuuuuuurt, you totally skipped over my favorite part."

"Blaine, stop whining?"

"Ooh, what's your favorite part."

"Okay, so Kurt was making a casket for a dead bird—"

"Wait, what?"

"Not important, Effie."

"Wait, daddy, who killed the bird?"

"Don't worry, Ollie, no one killed the bird, he just died."

"Why did he die?"

"Oh, god! Guys, sometimes birds die. That wasn't the part Blaine was trying to tell," Kurt looked at Blaine, trying to disguise how much he really wanted to hear the end of the story.

"Right, okay, so I come in to the room and I, well just that day I had realized that I had had feelings for Kurt that were more than just friendly, and so I come in and I basically profess my feelings for him and he just stares at me, and I remember this line perfectly, because I had practiced it in the mirror a hundred times, I said, 'You move me, Kurt,' and then we kissed!" Blaine looked way to excited for his own good.

Ollie looked bored, too busy playing with one of his curls, Kurt looked happily content, and Effie looked satisfied but slightly disturbed at the notion that Kurt had actually had other boyfriends before her father.

It finally sunk in for Effie then that Blaine was more than just her father's close friend who made him happy. He was his boyfriend. He is his boyfriend. He is now in the same position that her father was in before he died. I mean, it's different of course, but Kurt could possibly be falling in love with him. He could soon be taking the place of her father. She knew somewhere in the back of her head that these thoughts were somewhat irrational, but she couldn't help but ponder the possibilities—once the idea was there, there was no turning back.

Since her father died, she had known that sooner or later, her dad would start dating, and the concept in her head wasn't too abstract for her to grasp. But, it was the way Kurt acted around Blaine, like they were the loves of each others lives, even though they had been dating for what, a month? The thoughts about Blaine taking her father's spot in bed and him being the one to make her breakfast and him being the one to drive the family out to the Cape for vacation, they made her sick. She quickly excused herself from the table, running upstairs and slamming her door closed, quickly collapsing in bed and allowing the floodgates to open. She hadn't cried about her father in over four months, and this must've been a result of those repressed emotions.

Meanwhile, Kurt and Blaine did not like how quickly the Effie had turned from personable and excited to closed off and upset. Blaine knew what Kurt had to do, and quickly excused himself and Ollie thanking him immensely for the wonderful dinner and night. As Ollie quickly cleaned up his toys, Kurt made sure that Blaine knew that none of this was his fault, and that he enjoyed the evening very much. After promising to see each other next weekend, and a chaste kiss (the most the felt comfortable with, with Oliver in the same room), they were off.

Kurt climbed up the stairs, preparing himself for a long and emotionally taxing conversation with his daughter. He softly knocked on her door and after hearing no reply, he slowly opened it, to find Effie curled up on her bed, back facing Kurt, looking out her window to the view of the park at night. He walked around the bed, interrupting her line of sight, and kneeled down so that he was at eye-level with the girl. He could see that she had been crying, but he could tell that she was trying to hold it together now that he was in her presence. He smiled sympathetically and patted her hair out of her eyes, making eye contact. Before he could say anything, she said softly, but determinedly, "He's not Papa…He's not my father, dad." She let out a soft sob after the last part, worried about how Kurt would react. He just pulled her into an awkward hug and then beckoned her down to sit next to him, on the floor next to the bed, looking out the window into the immense city they called home. Kurt was silent for a few minutes, letting Effie pull herself together, and finally he figured out what he wanted to say.

"Effie, no one will ever be Eli Parker: no one will ever try to replace him as your father or my husband, are we clear on that?"

Effie nodded, her face still trained on the window across from them.

"No one could ever be him, because he was one of a kind. Your relationship with him was one of a kind, and our marriage was one of a kind." Still looking out the window, Effie relaxed her neck, and leaned her head onto Kurt's shoulder.

"When my mom died, I thought my whole world was over, which is not the best considering I was eight." That made Effie chuckle slightly.

"She was the most loving, tender person I had ever known. She was the person who I felt, really understood me, so losing her felt like a part of myself was dying." Effie nodded unconsciously, relating to the feeling.

"When Grandpa Burt finally started dating again, I thought I could handle it. I even set him up with Carole because I had a crush on Uncle Finn at the time." Effie shivered and finally looked at her father, giving him a look as if to say 'that's too weird for me to handle', and after Kurt laughed she went back to her perch on his shoulder.

"Once they started to get more serious, though, it was a whole different story. Everything Carole started to do, even the things I had like before, they all started to remind me of my mother, and how she wasn't her, and I wanted to make sure that was extremely clear.

"Grandpa Burt could definitely sense the weirdness in my demeanor, he could always read me really well, and what he did, though seemingly crazy at the time, actually helped immensely." After Kurt didn't continue right away, Effie spoke up for the first time: "Are you gonna leave me hanging, or…?"

"Well it was the anniversary of my mother's death and he brought Carole to the grave sight with us."

That got Effie's attention. She turned her entire body to face her father and stared at him with an incredulous look.

"Yah, that's what I thought when I saw her, too. But, I can't really explain it. When we got to my mom's grave, it was like she was there and Carole was there. Carole being there was like her making it clear that she wasn't trying to replace my mother, but it was also like my mother accepting her presence and therefore allowing me to accept her into the family, too."

They were both silent for a little while, thinking about what Kurt had just explained.

"I don't think I'm ready for that, yet," Effie whispered, a little guilty.

Kurt lifted her chin with his fingers so that she could look into his eyes: "I understand. Blaine and I have only been dating for a little while, so I don't even think I'm ready. I just want you to know, that no matter if I'm dating Blaine or anyone else that may come into our lives, that he will never be a replacement for Papa…Okay?"

Effie let another tear fall from her eye, this one out of relief that her father was so understanding. She leant in and the two embraced for a minute.

"Okay."

**A/N: Phew, that took a while. I love the relationship between Effie and Kurt, though, and I love the fact that Kurt can relate to her situation. Definitely more Kurt/Blaine scenes in the next chapter, and hopefully one or two smutty ones. I know I keep saying this, but I really appreciate all the reviews—it makes my day to see them! So keep reviewing and thanks again for continuing to read! Hopefully, be back tomorrow. **


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey, Kurt, look, I'm really sorry to spring this on you but the Dean of Administration from Columbia called me like twenty minutes ago and told me that I have a job interview at 4 today, and I'm like running all over the place—"

"Blaine, that's in like thirty minutes. Where are you?"

"That's the thing, I'm actually on the subway to Central Park West."

"Weird, I live on Central Park West."

"Yah, that's kinda where you come in. I did not know about this interview until twenty minutes ago and unfortunately I don't have a nanny on call, and I can't just leave Ollie home alone, cause there are knives and matches and all sorts of—"

"Blaine. Take a deep breath, please. I'm in my apartment, and I'll meet you downstairs outside the building in five. Okay?"

"Yah, yah, look, Kurt, I'm really sorry. I don't mean to treat you like a babysitter or a nanny—"

"Blaine, believe me when I say it's absolutely fine. Honestly, I'd like to get to know Ollie a bit more anyway, and I'm quite honored that you trust me with him."

"Kurt, of course I trust you. And I owe you big. I will make it up to you anyway I can, which means you should expect a romantic date this Saturday at 8. My place. Leave the rest up to me."

"Blaine, you really don't have to—" Kurt protested as he made his way down the four flights of stairs, trying to get in his exercise for the day.

"Nonsense. You're not gonna be able to talk me out of this," Blaine teased.

"Good," Kurt laughed, "cause I really am looking forward to a 'romantic dinner' sans children. Because I plan on doing something that we definitely can't do with the kiddies there."

"Kurt," Blaine hissed, "I'm in broad daylight walking with my four-year-old son. Please do not make me get," the last part was whispered, "a hard-on." Blaine's voice betrayed him though, showing that he wasn't disappointed at where the conversation had gone.

"Daddy, who are you talking to?" Kurt could distinctly hear Ollie's childish voice over the phone.

"I'm talking to Kurt—"

"Really?" Ollie asked excitedly, "Can I talk to him pleaseee?"

Kurt was thoroughly pleased with how this conversation was going. He was just the charmer, wasn't he?

"Ollie, we're gonna be seeing Kurt in like two minutes, and then you can talk to him the entire day."

"Wait, is Kurt my babysitter now?"

Kurt laughed and cleared his throat, reminding Blaine that he was still on the other end of the phone. Blaine jumped, as he had been so caught up in his conversation, he had totally forgotten Kurt was there.

"No, Ollie, Kurt is not your babysitter." Blaine was sure to say that answer as much to Ollie as he did into the phone, intending for Kurt to hear it clearly. Kurt could only laugh again, marveling in everything that was Blaine when he was around a small child. He seemed to be rejuvenated by everything Ollie did or said or expressed interest in, and though he can imagine it could be exhausting, it also made Kurt wanna get up and play tag or talk about his favorite Disney Princess. During his thoughts, Kurt vaguely registered Blaine calling his name.

"Kurt…Kurt?"

"Um Kurt?"

"Yes, yah, what?"

"Um, I see you now, so I'm gonna hang up."

Kurt turned to his right and saw Blaine and Ollie about ten yards away, bounding towards him so quickly that Ollie was forced into a half-jog of sorts.

"Okay, bye Blaine."

He had barely hung up his phone before Blaine reached him and they embraced, Blaine kissing Kurt chastely on the cheek before handing him Ollie's hand and speaking quickly.

"Okay, so I should be back by 8. I'll call you if anything changes. Campus is just up in Morningside Heights, so I'm only a subway ride away, okay?"

"Yes, Blaine, we're big boys, we'll be fine," Kurt teased as he shooed him towards the nearest subway station.

"Okay, bye Ollie," Blaine started as he kneeled down to be eye-level with the boy. He kissed his cheek, stood up and gave Kurt a final pat on the arm before running off in the direction he came.

"Bye daddy," Ollie shouted after him, and Blaine quickly turned around while still running to grin and give Ollie and Kurt a big wave, knocking into some poor pedestrians in the process. Both laughed and made their way into the building, and just as they got to the elevator, Kurt turned to Ollie who was idly playing with one of his curls.

"Hey, Oliver, do you wanna do something fun today?"

That caught Ollie's attention, as his eyes lit up with wonder: "Like go to Disney World?"

"Well, Disney World is pretty far away, so we can't do that today, but, well, do you like dogs?" Again, Ollie's face lit up with joy.

"I LOVE dogs!"

"You do?"

Ollie nodded his head fervently.

"Okay, so what do you say we go to the dog park? I don't have a dog, but we could go and play with the other dogs. How does that sound."

Ollie closed the distance between them and hugged Kurt fiercely, "I would love that, Kurt. Can we do that, pleaseeee?"

Just then the elevator dinged and the two got in.

"Yes, but let's just go up to my apartment first and get my cell phone and some snacks. Are you hungry?"

"No, daddy gave me pretzels before we left."

"Okay, well then I'll be really quick and we can be on our way."

xxxxxx

Kurt texted Effie a quick message, telling her that he would be at the 87th St. Dog Run, knowing that she wouldn't be getting out of dance until at least 5:30. They had barely gotten through the gates to the park when Ollie began running excitedly towards where all the dogs were playing together. Kurt found a bench that was close to where Ollie was playing that he felt comfortable, and he just watched the excited boy, trying to think of why anyone would ever want to hurt him or his father. Kurt always tried not to think about Blaine's ex—he never really asked much and Blaine never brought it up. Still, the though plagued Kurt: what would bring a person to hurt the man and child whom they are supposed to love unconditionally. Kurt shivered at the thought, thanking god that he had never had to go through that, but remorseful that Blaine had to have had that experience. One thing that that proved though was something that Kurt never doubted: Blaine was incredibly strong. They always say abusive relationships are the hardest ones to leave, usually because the one partner has become so dependent for the other. A feeling of immense pride overcame Kurt at that moment, though he couldn't imagine why he had the right to feel proud for Blaine's accomplishments. But, he would just have to ponder that later seeing as Ollie was beckoning him while laughing hysterically with a loud, "Kurt! Kurt! Kurt, come over here!"

Kurt got up off the bench and made his way to where Ollie was sitting on the ground with a small pug, petting under his chin and smiling as he repetedly kissed his nose. He absentmindedly pet the dog while he looked around attempting to see to whom the dog belonged. He saw a pretty, young blonde woman striding over to them with a leash, and realized that it was probably hers, and began to prepare Ollie for the letdown that would come along with this dog having to leave. But, surprisingly, the woman didn't make a move to leash the dog, continuing to let Ollie play, but came over to Kurt.

"He yours?" Kurt asked as she stopped in front of him. She smiled and looked over at Ollie and the dog.

"Yah, his name is Beau. Is he yours?" She asked, laughing slightly, as she nodded at Ollie.

"No…well yes." At the girl's inquisitive look, he knew he would have to elaborate further. "He's my boyfriend's son. So yes, I'm the one watching him now, but no, he's not technically mine."

She smiled at him knowingly and they began a polite conversation while their two pups played together. After a few minutes, Ollie began to tug on Kurt's pant leg, looking up at him.

"Kuuuurt?"

"Yes, buddy?"

"I'm tired," Ollie said dramatically as he plopped down onto the ground, Beau attacking him with kisses.

"Okay," Kurt said as he lifted Ollie up onto his hip, "How about we go get some ice cream, then. Will that wake you up?"

Ollie nodded animatedly and turned to finally notice the woman watching her interaction.

"Hi," he put his hand out, much in the same way he had when he first met Kurt, "my name is Oliver Anderson."

"Why hello Oliver Anderson," the woman said, shaking Ollie's hand, "My name is Natalie Harrison." She then directed her attention to Kurt, "It was nice meeting you…"

"Kurt."

"Kurt."

"It was nice meeting you, too. Oliver really like your dog. I'd watch out if I were you," he said jokingly, but Ollie was getting impatient so he said a quick 'bye' and they were off.

Oliver jumped down from Kurt's arms after proclaiming a proud, "I can walk," and took his hand immediately, which made Kurt's heart soar with joy; such a small gesture, something overlooked by Ollie, meant so much to Kurt. As they rounded the corner of 87th and Columbus, Ollie looked up at Kurt and asked him something he was not expecting to have to deal with today: "Are you and my dad friends?"

"What do you mean, Ollie, of course we're friends."

"No, I mean. You're friends. But you kiss, too. Does that mean you're boyfriends?"

Kurt sighed and contemplated how to approach the situation—but he didn't see anyway that made sense other than the truth. I mean, Blaine let them kiss in front of Ollie, so it wasn't like he was trying to hide it from him.

"Yah, we are." The Kurt decided to take a chance, "do you like me being your dad's boyfriend." He tried to convince himself that he wouldn't be fazed by Ollie's answer, though deep down he knew that he was seeking the boy's approval. Ollie continued to skip on the sidewalk as he talked to Kurt.

"Yah. I mean, daddy's happy right? And you're happy. That seems good."

Kurt smiled widely at that—Ollie like him! It feels like he had passed a test that he didn't even know he would have to take. Inwardly he laughed at how much harder it was going to be for Blaine to win over his daughter's approval, but that would all come in time.

"Kurt?" Ollie asked again, as they reached the block that California Louis' was on.

"Yah, Ollie?"

"Do I have to have a boyfriend?"

That made Kurt stop in his tracks, conveniently, right as they reached the shop. He spun around to face the boy and kneeled down.

"What?"

Ollie looked Kurt in the eyes now, genuinely curious. "Well you and daddy are each other's boyfriends. Does that mean I need a boyfriend."

"Well, Ollie, first of all you're four, so you don't have to worry about that for a while….Do you want a boyfriend."

Ollie looked up and shaked his head 'no' quickly, and Kurt only laughed loudly drawing the attention of other patrons.

"Well then of course you don't need a boyfriend. You don't have to have anything you don't want. Well, except for vegetables, you need those."

They both got their ice cream, strawberry sherbert for Kurt and chocolate ice cream topped with chocolate sauce and rainbow sprinkles for Ollie. They sat down and began to eat, and Kurt racked his brain for conversation topics, starting off with the most basic.

"So, how was school today?"

"It was good," Ollie said without looking up from his ice cream.

"Do you have a lot of friends at school?" Kurt probed.

"Yah, I think so. I like Micah and Jonas; they are really nice. And Cassie, she's really, really nice," Ollie explained and smiled.

"Ooh, Cassie, do you like her?"

"Eww, no girls have cooties," Ollie responded automatically, causing Kurt to almost spit up the ice cream he had been eating.

"Well, in about ten years, I think you'll think a little differently," Kurt said knowingly, as Ollie just continued to down his ice cream.

xxxxxx

It was Saturday night and Kurt had just arrived at Blaine's building, brushing past the concierge and making his way to the elevator, pushing the "6" button and waiting anxiously for the elevator to stop at Blaine's floor. He had been anticipating this night for the entire week, which can be greatly attributed to the fact that he had barely seen or spoken to Blaine since he came to pick up Ollie that night, both of them being so busy. When Kurt reached the door, before he could even knocked, it opened quickly, revealing Blaine in a pair of dark wash jeans with a casual black lacoste sweater, the most noticeable thing to Kurt, though, being that Blaine's hair was completely without product, revealing his curls that hadn't seemed to have changed since their teenage years. Blaine hadn't told Kurt what to wear, but since they were dining in his apartment he had decided on grey pants with an undershirt covered by a navy cardigan, and topped off with a simple black scarf—an outfit that Kurt rarely donned outside the house, most people not knowing that "casual" was a part of Kurt Hummel's vocabulary.

"Right on time," Blaine said breathlessly as he shut the door behind Kurt and backed him into it, smothering him with a warm, passionate kiss.

"Hi," Kurt muttered coyly as they pulled apart.

"I've missed those lips," Blaine said, as he dove in again for another long, sensual kiss.

Kurt reluctantly pulled way. "Okay, let's at least try to get through part of dinner before we go to dessert," Kurt winked.

"You're the one whose being such a tease," Blaine countered, practically growling, but leading Kurt to the table that was dressed to the nines with candles and fancy plates.

Throughout dinner the boys discussed there hectic weeks, though occasionally fitting in a flirty glance or a coy line, consistently playing footsy under the table. As the wine bottle got drier, the boy's feet began to climb a little bit higher. Blaine caught Kurt's foot mid-stroke, and held on to it, giving him a pointed glance.

"See," he said, motioning to the foot, "teasing."

"Oh, come on, you know you love it," Kurt said as he moved his foot up a little bit further, landing it lightly on Blaine's crotch. If his sharp intake of air was any indication, Kurt had him right where he wanted him.

"Don't start anything that you won't follow through on," Blaine warned, but his voice couldn't sound threatening because it was intermittened with moans and intakes of breath as Kurt began to slowly rub his boot against his clothed dick.

"Oh, I plan to follow through on this," Kurt explained as he gave a particularly hard thrust, "I have a lot of plans."

Before Kurt could say anything more, Blaine got out of his chair and practically picked him up, bringing him up so there mouths could meet. Before they knew it, the back of Kurt's knees were hitting the bed and Blaine fell over him, settling his body between Kurt's spread legs. He thrust down while lifting Kurt's shirt over his head, eliciting a moan from the taller man. Blaine's shirt quickly followed suit. Both boys simultaneously worked on the other's pants, occasionally throwing in a particular hand movement that purposely grazed over the other's clothed dick, causing the room to be filled with the sound of soft moans and panting. Once the pants were off, both boys stood up and looked at each other, silently taking off they're boxers together, basking in the beauty that they found in each other. Once the restricting garments were off, Blaine, one again, pounced on Kurt, making him fall back onto the bed, and lining there bodies up so their hard cocks moved against each other in glorious skin on skin contact.

"Blaine, baby, please," Kurt moaned out.

Blaine began to tease Kurt's cock while mouthing at his nipples, essentially making the boy unable to form a coherent thought.

"What? What do you want, Kurt?"

"You," Kurt gasped as Blaine bit down on the bud, making it stand erect and only turning Kurt on more, something he didn't think was possible.

"You're gonna have to be more specific there baby," Blaine said, angering Kurt that he was so put together.

"I want…y-you, inside me…now" Kurt barely got out as another moan ripped from his body as a result of Blaine giving him the best damn handjob ever. Blaine stalled his movements and climbed back up so that he was at eye-level with Kurt, looking deep into his eyes. But, he didn't find one hint of worry or regret in those dilated pupils, he only found trust and need. He bent down and kissed Kurt fiercely, letting him know that he wanted this just as much as he did. He rolled over briefly to fish the lube out of the bedside table and when his hand reached the condoms he thought about it. He knew he was clean, and right now, more than anything he needed to feel Kurt surrounding him, feel all of him.

"Are you clean?"

"What?"

"Clean, are you clean?" Kurt still looked incredibly confused.

"Do I need to use a condom?" Blaine elaborated.

"Ugg, no, I'm clean, I just wanna feel you inside me." Blaine groaned at the confirmation that Kurt was thinking the same way he was and rolled back to his perch between Kurt's legs, lube in tow.

He coated his first finger with the substance leaning down so that he could lick Kurt's cock while he teased his hole, knowing Kurt would need as much of a distraction from the impending burn as possible, seeing as he probably hadn't had penetrative sex in a while. As Blaine began licking at the slit and gathering Kurt's precome, he circled his entrance and slowly slipped a finger in, feeling Kurt tense and then relax around him. He slowly moved the finger in and out and was happily surprised to hear that Kurt's gasps and moans sounded like they were from pleasure, instead of pain. After a few more thrusts he added a second finger and began to stretch him out even further. It was when he added the third finger a few minutes later that he finally found Kurt's prostate, Kurt's hips arching off of the bed and him practically screaming Blaine's name. Finally, Kurt couldn't take it anymore and begged for Blaine brokenly: lots of "please, baby" and "Blaaaaine" and "please, I'm ready", and Blaine finally coated his incredibly hard cock, lining it up to Kurt's lubed and stretched hole. Before he entered, though, he lent down to slowly kiss Kurt's forehead, looking into his eyes. He maintained eye contact as he began to enter Kurt, even as Kurt's eyes shut from pain and pleasure. He kept his eyes on Kurt as Kurt began to buck into him and as both men eventually came within seconds of each other. Blaine kept looking at Kurt even after he had fallen asleep, his back cuddled into Blaine's chest and Blaine's arms wrapped protectively around him. He kept his eyes on Kurt and all he could think was, _I'm falling in love with you, Kurt Hummel. _

**A/N: Sorry this is so late. I was procrastinating all day today and didn't start writing this until like 8 pm, but it's done! All 3000 words of it—my longest chapter yet. I know I've said this before, but in case you've just started reading the A/N's, I post a lot of references and things that I mention in the story (like outfits, Kurt and Blaine's apartments, ect) on the tumblr dedicated to my fanfiction, so if you're interested, just check it out by following the link on my profile page. Oh, and of course a huge thank you to all of my reviewers! I can't tell you how happy it makes me to sign in and see that I've gotten new reviews. **


	11. Chapter 11

Over the next few weeks, fashion week came and went, leaving Kurt's schedule much less crowded with meetings and more time to spend with Blaine. The school year had just ended, meaning that Blaine and Effie got through the last few classes without a hitch, even though Effie didn't speak to him that much in school; Blaine still saw it as progress. Both had realized that they were falling in love with one another, but neither was willing to voice it, too afraid of the consequences if the feelings were not returned. It was silly, if you thought about it: they had said those three simple words to each other countless times as teenagers. But, now, saying it would be acknowledging that they saw a future together and that they wanted to spend their lives together. As the days grew warmer and the New York streets began to become unbearable, Kurt was leaning further and further towards leaving work earlier than planned to get to his beach house, though it would be the first summer there without Eli: this fact being the thing that caused his internal debate. They hadn't gone last summer because Eli had just passed and neither Effie nor himself really felt like it was okay to have fun yet; they weren't punishing themselves, they were grieving. But now, with the temperatures in the city being as high as they were, his need for a beach outweighed his anxiety of possibly depressing and nostalgic memories. It wasn't until a few days after he decided that he had thought about inviting Blaine. The two men were sitting on Blaine's roof, pink lemonade in hand, Blaine strumming through some old songs on the guitar. After a particularly heartwarming rendition of "California Girls", Blaine set down the guitar to take a drink.

"I can't believe, almost two decades later, you're still playing Katy Perry."

"What have I always said? Musical Icon."

"Okay, Blaine. Something tells me that you may have a girl crush on her," Kurt teased with a smirk and a lifted eyebrow.

"Okay, you caught me," Blaine joked back, "I'm straight for Katy Perry."

"Blaine you do know that means you would have to touch her vagina."

Blaine shivered and gave Kurt the most horrified look, "Never mind! I take it back!" He then jumped on Kurt's lap and nuzzled into his neck as their laughter subsided. He began to place slow, deliberate kisses all over Kurt's neck, paying particular attention to the hickeys he had made a few nights prior.

"Blaine as much as I love this, it's too hot. They invented air conditioning for a reason, you know."

"Mhhhhm," Blaine answered while continuing his ministrations, "But it's so nice out. I feel terrible wasting the wonderful weather inside." Blaine rolled off of him and slumped back, "Uh, it is hot though. You'd think with all the money floating around this city that they would find time to clean up the water so that we could actually swim in it. Or like at least make a pool or something." Kurt couldn't help but find Blaine's whining amusing.

That's when the thought struck him, though. Blaine and Ollie could come with them to the beach. Kurt had already been dreading the fact that he would have to spend two weeks in a row without Blaine and now he wouldn't have to. Quickly ignoring his so-called "rational" part of his brain telling him he was moving too fast, something he had come to do more often these days, he just decided to ask Blaine.

"You know, I have a house out on the Cape, which has glorious beaches and pools," Kurt smiled.

But Blaine, always the oblivious one, just continued to whine, "Kurt, you don't have to rub it in. We can't all be so lucky."

"No, you dufus, I'm not telling you just for kicks, I…well, I think you should come." At Blaine's confused look, Kurt elaborated, "I'm inviting you. With us. To the house." Kurt looked at him expectantly, waiting for the slightest hint of a negative reaction. But, he couldn't find one. After Blaine finally registered what he was saying, a huge grin was plastered on his face.

"You want me to come on vacation with you?"

"Yes," Kurt said as he looked deep into the other man's eyes, getting caught up in the flickering of the hazel orbs of light, "What do you say?"

If possible, Blaine's smile got even wider before adding, "I would love to," and moving over to kiss Kurt again, this time on the lips, long and passionate. They stayed like that for a while, before the heat became too much for them to bear, and they made their way inside to the confines of air conditioning. They made dinner together in a comfortable silence, occasionally stealing kisses or mentioning something that had happened to them earlier that day. It was all very domestic, something that neither man acknowledged vocally, but recognized, and knew that they enjoyed. For Kurt, he had done it all before—the domesticity; but, for some reason, he and Blaine doing it together never felt the same as he and Eli, not different in a better or worse way, just different, and that definitely helped with Kurt being able to get over the guilt of doing something so intimate with someone only a year after Eli had passed.

He had been sick for a while. There had been countless hospital visits, numerous medical trials, and in the last few months, many days where his husband couldn't even get out of bed. The process of watching his love slowly die, well, it was something that he couldn't describe; it provoked such a specific and targeted kind of sadness, a sadness that caused him actual chest pains during the whole ordeal. And though watching Eli slowly become a man who was just the shell of himself was the most terrible thing he had ever gone through, it had given him time to prepare himself with the grieving process. Eli's death was not a surprise, and even though it hurt like Hell and it hadn't stopped hurting, the pain had gotten significantly easier, even in the first months after his death. But the thing that really dulled the pain: Blaine. Kurt couldn't explain it; being around Blaine made him want to live life, not forgetting Eli, but being able to recover and keep living in the present—something Eli had fervently knocked into his brain before his death. In the weeks before his death, when things were only getting worse, he had beckoned Kurt and told him, "Kurt, we can't avoid this anymore. I really don't want to leave you or Effie, but I don't think God is giving me a choice," when Kurt started to cry, he used his energy to wipe the tear off his face before grasping his hands and continuing, "I love you so much, Kurt, and because I love you so much I want you to live life. This whole speech may seem entirely cliché, but please take it to heart. I'm okay with you loving again. Of course you will remember me, and I appreciate that, but let our relationship and the amazing times we have had together be a new point of growth in your life, not a hindrance to the amazing things you could experience, but don't because you feel bad about your dead husband."

The words had been blunt, and at the time Kurt was angry at Eli for saying such things, but when he thought about them after Blaine entered his life, they helped immensely.

xxxxxxx

Later that week while taking their daily stroll in the park, a tradition which Kurt made sure was kept even after Eli's death, much like his dad kept the tradition of Friday night dinners, Effie and Kurt were making their way past the Shakespeare Garden, and the topic of their vacation finally came up.

"Today Maggie asked me if we were gonna be up in Chatham this year," Effie said, clearly trying to broach the topic softly, not knowing where her father stood, "I didn't know what to tell her."

"Yah, I think so," Kurt said, turning towards his daughter, "how do you feel about it. I mean, I think we should definitely go, especially cause it's been so hot and the nearby ocean could probably help with that."

"Yah, okay, I was hoping you'd say yes, actually." After a few more seconds of silence, Effie probed further, "Are we aloud to invite people?"

"Sure, I mean, do you have a friend you would like to bring?"

Effie began to blush, still scared to ask her father what she had convinced herself she needed to do during this precise time. "Um, yah, maybe. It's a big house, you know, and it would feel huge with just the two of us."

"Effie, you're beating around the bush. Do you wanna bring Maggie or…Allie or Sarah, or?" He finally looked over to Effie, seeing that she was avoiding his gaze. Suddenly he understood. She wanted to bring a boy. A boy whom she was obviously dating because she was clearly trying to get over a blush. _Ooh_, Kurt thought, _I'm going to have fun with this_.

"Um, no, someone else; um, it's someone you haven't met," and then, trying to avoid the question, "Are you bringing someone?" It was meant to be a distracting question, and so she wasn't expecting that Kurt would answer in the affirmative.

"Yes, I was planning on it."

She looked up at him with shocked eyes, realizing that he was planning on bringing Blaine. Her immediate reaction was anger, again feeling like Blaine was encroaching on her late father's territory, but instead, she began to see it as an opportunity. As they walked under the Winterdale Arch, she decided to use this to her advantage.

"Oh. Good." It was Kurt's turned to be surprised now, as he was definitely expecting some anger on Effie's part. "So, if you're bringing your boyfriend, that means I can bring mine right?" Effie smirked and continued walking, even as her father paused.

xxxxxxx

"She wants to bring her boyfriend. Blaine, boyfriend. A boy whom she is dating, and I haven't even met the kid!" Kurt ranted into his phone later that night. Kurt was not particularly happy that Blaine seemed to find this whole conversation incredibly amusing.

"Blaine, it's not funny! What? Why are you laughing?"

"Kurt, please don't take this the wrong way, but you sound exactly like your father did when we started dating. This whole overprotective and papa bear demeanor, it's very Burt Hummel."

"Except if I had had a boyfriend at fifteen, he would've castrated the guy. I think I'm being very civil about this whole thing."

"I'm just waiting for you to have the awkward sex talk with her…"

At that, Kurt's eyes bugged out of his head, "Shit, I have to do that?" He whined, falling back onto his neatly made bed, while Blaine just continued to laugh.

"Kurt, honestly, I don't think it's a half bad idea," Blaine started once he had finally calmed down, "I mean, it's not like they're going to be in the house alone. We'll be with them, and it may give you a chance to get to know the kid; weed him out and see if he's worthy of Effie's standard." Kurt chuckled a bit at that. "And if, you know, you're worried about them alone, you could always look into getting her a chastity belt."

"Okay, we're done. Goodnight, Blaine."

"Night. I wish I could be there next to you to go to bed."

Kurt smiled. "Yah, I really wish you were here to," he said, absently looking at the space next to him. "Tell me again why we live 70 blocks from each other."

"Because you're the fashion tycoon who lives on the fancy street with the mucky mucks and I'm the hipster musician/teacher who wants to hang with the cool kids."

"You're ridiculous." They were both silent for a bit.

"God, Kurt, if you lived closer then you could just come over when I'm fucking horny." Blaine practically growled.

"Woah, I did not see that coming. Is Blainey having some sexual frustration?" Kurt teased.

"Yah, considering the fact that I haven't seen you in three days, I think I have a right to be sexually frustrated."

"What are you wearing?"

"You're agreeing to this?" Blaine said much too hopefully. Kurt couldn't stand to turn him down now.

"Yes, now answer before I have a chance to realize how awkward this is."

**A/N: Okay, so the next chapter will include the trip up to the house, which means we get to meet Effie's boyfriend. And see more protective Kurt—Yay! I'm thinking there will be smut in the next chapter, and if not it will come soon because I want Kurt and Blaine to have a date night. Thanks for reviews! If you have any suggestions about Kurt/Blaine date night or maybe some Kurt meeting Effie's boyfriend material, it would be appreciated. Thanks!**


	12. Chapter 12

Cape Cod was not necessarily the most convenient or common place for the New Yorker to vacation, but Eli had grown up in Connecticut and spent most of his summers on the Cape, so he practically he insisted when Kurt suggested buying a summer home. They had all decided to drive up together: Kurt, Blaine, Oliver, Effie, and her boyfriend, and it seemed that everyone was daunted by the prospect of being trapped in the same car for five hours, except Blaine—Effie knew that this would give her father a confined space he needed for interrogation, Kurt knew that he would have to deal with the boy in a confined space, and Blaine was just amused at the proposition, hoping for some good moments to tease Kurt about at a later date. Kurt had really wanted to take Blaine's car, since it is a convertible and would be nice in the hot weather, but Blaine reminded him that since they were traveling with three kids and bags for two weeks, there would be no where near enough room, even when Kurt suggested that he just throw Effie's boyfriend into the trunk. So, it was Kurt's black escalade that he and his daughter were now packing, waiting for the others to arrive in front of their apartment.

Effie had been uncharacteristically sweet the past few days, probably trying to get on her father's best side before he had to meet Cole. Cole lived on the Upper East Side on 5th, almost right across the park from their apartment. His father was big time banker on Wall Street and his mother, a socialite—the average rich family from New York City, the exact kind of people Kurt had constantly made fun of and detested. But, though Cole's parents were a big uptight (from what she had gathered only from how he had described them), he was much more down to earth; he didn't act like he came from old money, and she really hoped her father would be able to see that.

Suddenly, Kurt felt something latch onto his leg and looked down to see a mess of curly black hair, and leaned down to pick up Ollie and say hello.

"Where's your daddy?"

Ollie just shrugged his shoulders and went back to playing with Kurt's sunglasses, taking them off his head and putting them over his own eyes, making faces at Effie. Kurt looked around and eventually saw Blaine trudging down the street, loaded with bags, looking handsome as ever in his Nantucket Reds and white Ralph Lauren polo, topped off with his classic ray bans. He smiled widely when he caught Kurt's eye and switch the position of what looked like Ollie's bag, so that it put less pressure on his back. Kurt quickly handed Ollie off to Effie, and ran over to help Blaine the rest of the way. Blaine put both the bags down when Kurt reached him, and pulled him into a tight embrace, not caring about the people he was blocking on the street. He pulled back a little and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips.

"Hi," Blaine smiled.

"Hi. You look gorgeous," Kurt said while picking up the smaller of the two bags.

"You're the one to talk!" Blaine said incredulously as he took in Kurt's impeccable outfit—a long sleeved cotton blue and white sailor tee, light blue shorts and a light brown pair of casual ankle boots.

The two men carried the bags over to the trunk, and as they were loading them into the car, they heard a new voice, that must have to belong to Effie's boyfriend. They turned around so they could watch the scene play out.

"Hey, Effie!" It was a tall, lithe, dirty blonde boy who was dressed in what had to be the kind of outfit he would only see on the other side of town, where the more pretentious, preppy families lived. He was wearing light blue Vineyard Vines shorts adorned with navy blue whales, and a white Vineyard Vines dress shirt, with the sleeves rolled up.

"Cole!" Effie exclaimed as she turned around and came face to face with the boy, pulling him into a hug.

"I missed you," the boy said as they pulled back from the embrace.

"I missed you, too," and with that, the two, like Kurt and Blaine had minutes ago, went in for a kiss. But, unlike Kurt and Blaine's there's was neither chaste nor without tongue. After Kurt stood paralyzed for a few seconds, he cleared his throat loudly as Blaine watched on, with a bemused grin, which got even wider when Kurt's throat clearing did not work and smoke began to come out of his ears. He walked up behind the blonde boy and tapped his should politely. As he pulled off and gave Kurt a questioning glance, all Kurt said was, "I would appreciate if you would not suck my daughters face anytime, especially in public," and then turned around on his heal to shut the trunk. The two just stood there, until Kurt turned around again, raising his eyebrow in a questioning gesture. Cole led the way and approached Kurt where he was standing near the back of the car, and went to introduce himself. Blaine now finished with hooking Ollie into his car seat, turned around and watched from his perch out the open passenger door.

"Hi, Mr. Hummel, it's nice to meet you," Cole said with the most charming grin he could muster, glad that Effie had told him ahead of time not to address him with her more commonly known last name, Parker. He stuck out his hand, and after Kurt looked at him for a few seconds, he reciprocated and shook it. "I'm Cole, by the way."

"Kurt."

"What?" Cole asked, confused.

"Kurt. You can call me Kurt." Effie smiled at Cole encouragingly, acting like that meant that her father liked him, though Cole was not so convinced.

"Oh, well thank you." When Cole noticed he was still holding onto Kurt's hand, he dropped it nervously. It was then that Blaine decided to intervene, saving the seemingly nice boy from angering Kurt before they even got into the car.

"Well, this is fun!" He said walking up behind Kurt and Kurt, "but we should probably get going pretty soon." No addressing Cole for the first time, he asked, pointing to his bag, "Do you need help with that?"

"Sure." Cole said, handing it to the older man.

"I'm Blaine by the way," Blaine said, smiling. "You can call me Blaine," he tried to joke but Cole just laughed awkwardly, while Kurt huffed out a small laugh and went around the car to get into his seat.

"Don't worry about him, he can be a little scary at first. He's just like his own father. He just wants the best for his kids," Blaine explained to the bewildered boy once Kurt was safely in the car.

"Oh, okay. Thanks, man. You're really cool. Are you guys family friends or something?"

Blaine's face almost gave him away, but he tried to control the way his eyes bugged out a bit when he realized that Effie hadn't told him.

"Um…Effie!" Blaine yelled, wanting this to be a discussion between them, without his interference.

"Yes, Blaine?" Effie had taken to calling him Blaine now that school was out and she was able to ease into it. It came almost naturally now.

"Can you come out here, please?"

"Blaine, you were the one who just said we had to go!" Kurt's voice came from inside the car.

Once Effie was out, Blaine pulled her aside, shooting a nonchalant smile to Cole who just looked even more confused.

"Effie, does your boyfriend not know that your father is gay?"

If it weren't such a serious situation, Blaine would've laughed at the comical surprised expression on Effie's face.

"Umm, no, not exactly. I guess it just never came up!" Effie said in her defense.

"Blaine, come on! If we wanna go to the beach at all today, we need to leave now!" came Kurt's voice again.

"Coming!" He yelled back to the impatient man.

"Okay, well he's gonna find out! What were you planning on telling him?"

"I don't know. But, let's just get in the car and hope Dad doesn't bring it up before I get a chance to."

Blaine nodded exasperatedly and the two made their way back into the car to find Kurt already playing Madonna's Greatest Hits, and really, how could this boy not know by just that.

xxxxxxx

Everything went relatively smoothly until they reached Connecticut and Kurt began to grill Cole.

"So, Cole, where do you live?"

"Um, on 5th between 85th and 86th."

"Hmmm, what do your parents do?"

"Well, my father works on Wall St. and my mom doesn't."

"Where do you go to school?"

"Buckley."

"Where do you usually vacation?"

"Nantucket." At that answer, Kurt just huffed because all of these answers were exactly what he was expecting and exactly what he didn't want for his daughter—he purposely tried to raise his daughter away from the pretentious and arrogant New York.

"Look," Cole started, after sensing that Kurt was judging him from his answers, "I know what you're thinking, and I would think that, too—you think I'm some arrogant prick from a pampered family on the Upper East Side who sits around all day and complains about the weeds on our school's perfectly groomed lacrosse field or about the ice in our lemonades being too big, or whatever, and yeah, that is what most of the people do. But, I mean, I think it's as ridiculous as you do. It makes me uncomfortable to tell people where I'm from and where I go to school and who my parents are because they assume that I'm some pretentious son of a bitch, but," Cole took a breath to calm himself down, "I just, I just wanted you to know that I'm not…"

Kurt took a second to process what the boy had just said, and found him admiring his courage to speak up after how intimidating Kurt had been when they first met. After a few seconds of intense silence, Kurt finally spoke up.

"Okay." And then he went back to driving. Effie seemed to take it as an incredibly good sign, and she looked over and gave a quick kiss.

"But don't think this makes up for your incredibly inappropriate PDA this morning. You're gonna have to earn that one." With this, Blaine bust out laughing and Kurt smiled over at him fondly.

"Daddy, are we there yet?" Oliver piped up from his position next to Effie in the back seat.

"Oh, god, if this starts now, I might die," Effie mumbled, making Cole chuckle.

"Oliver, it's going to be a while, buddy."

"Buuuut, Dad, I'm boooored," He whined out.

Thanking God that he hadn't left it in the trunk, Blaine whipped out his old iPad and set up Oliver with Aladdin and handed the device back to the elated boy. That certainly shut him up for the rest of the drive.

xxxxxx

As they passed through Providence, they had gotten generally more comfortable and were making some polite conversation.

"So, Blaine," Cole started, thinking that Blaine seemed a little more open to questioning, "you don't have a wife either?"

Kurt nearly choked on the water he was drinking, as he looked in the rearview mirror at his daughter.

"Effie?"

Effie just coughed awkwardly, and turned to Cole, "Um, well, about that…"

"No, I definitely do not have a wife. Never have, never will."

"Oh," Cole said, confused, "Well, I wouldn't give hope yet. You're only like forty, right?"

"Thirty-seven, and don't worry, I haven't given up," Blaine teased, enjoying this way too much.

"Cole, what do you mean either?" Kurt asked, finally being able to get a word in.

"Well, you don't have a wife, and neither does Blaine."

"Hmmm, curious," Kurt said, trying to prolong the teasing of his daughter, "Blaine doesn't have a wife, and I don't have a wife, really quite weird, wouldn't you say, Effie?"

Effie's eyes were closed and she was pinching the bridge of her nose, trying to figure out the best way out. She figured just getting it over with would end her misery sooner.

"Kurt and Blaine are dating, Cole," she started, not looking at him.

"Woah, you guys are gay?" Cole asked, finally understanding.

"Effie, that's awesome. Having gay dads is like the most in thing right now. Why didn't you tell me?" Kurt and Blaine looked at each other, surprised at Cole's reaction.

"Well it's not something that I really think about when we're talking. Like there was never a conversation where I felt it was necessary to be like, 'Oh, by the way, my dad is gay'."

"Wait," Cole asked, pointing to Effie and an oblivious Oliver, "how did these happen?"

Effie just rolled her eyes, and Kurt and Blaine entered into a fit of giggles, enjoying Effie's misery.

"Surrogacy," they both answered together.

xxxxxxxx

After what seemed like days in the car, they reached their destination, pulling into the driveway, and everyone emptying out of the car.

They quickly unpacked their bags from the trunk of the car, Effie grabbing Cole's hand and bringing him into the house.

"Eff, everyone's getting their own room, so don't even try," Kurt yelled after them. He could practically Effie rolling her eyes, "So you get to share a room with your boyfriend, but I can't share one with mine?"

"Sure, when you're thirty-eight and owning the house, then yes, you may, but not now."

Effie and Cole continued on into the house as Blaine and Kurt finished with the rest of the bags.

"Plus, we're gonna need our own room to do this," Blaine said as he leaned in and captured Kurt's lips, snaking his hands behind the other man and steadily rubbing his lower back, before dropping them to rest lazily on his ass. Kurt broke away with a gasp and muttered, "Later," before grabbing the bags and trudging into the house, helping Ollie out of his car seat in the process.

xxxxxxx

"Okay guys, we're leaving now. We should be back around 10." Kurt shouted up the stairs.

Effie and Cole appeared at the top of the stairway as Ollie ran between them to come say goodbye. He jumped into Blaine's arms.

"Okay, so Ollie should be in bed by 7:30, and he usually likes to watch TV just before bed, and you can read him a bedtime story if you're feeling really ambitious." Blaine said, carefully setting Ollie down.

"Bye daddy!"

"Bye-bye, Ollie," Blaine said, as he crouched down so he was at eye-level, "be a good boy for Effie and Cole, please." Then Blaine leaned towards the young boy's ear, whispering, "Watch out for them okay? Don't let them be alone too long." And at Ollie's fervent nod and small salute, he laughed and the men said their goodbyes, walking out the door.

**A/N: Aaah, I know I'm terrible, but this took me a while to write and I wanted to get something up today, so here it is. I promise there will be date night smut next chapter, so prepare yourselves for that. Like I've said before, on my profile page is the link to my fanfiction Tumblr, which has references and stuff for this story (like pictures of the house, pictures of clothes the characters are wearing, ect.) Reviews make me happy! Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

***Important author's note at the bottom, regarding the next few chapters and such. Enjoy!**

"I'll have pasta in the clam sauce, and can you please make it with the gluten-free pasta? Thanks."

"And I'll have the grilled chicken over penne with vodka sauce, please. Oh, and also bring over a bottle of your best pinot noir. Thanks!" Blaine smiled charmingly.

The two men were currently sitting at Kurt's favorite restaurant on the Cape—a quaint, yet classy Italian eatery that looks over the water and provides a fantastic view of the incoming recreational boats and yachts at the nearby piers. Kurt liked that it was low-key, yet still held a thick aura of romance—especially at night when the lights from the port and lighthouses shone off the water, creating a light that much resembled candles lit in a dark room.

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Mr. Anderson?" Kurt smiled.

"Uhhh," Blaine moaned with mock frustration, "all my plans have been foiled! What will I do now to get you into bed with me?" Blaine asked coyly, batting his eyelashes.

"Ahh, so that is your ulterior motive. I see…" Kurt laughed.

"That's always my ulterior motive," Blaine teased while he slowly ran his foot up Kurt's leg. Right before he reached the top of his thigh, Kurt grabbed his foot.

"No, not this again. As much as I appreciated where this led us last time I think it would be frowned upon to mount you right here on this table," Kurt smiled as Blaine's eyes bulged at his frankness.

"Yah, and I'm the one playing coy."

The two boys laughed quietly and stared at each other, until the waiter bringing them garlic rolls interrupted their trance.

"So you never really told me how your interview at Colombia went. So, I guess we'll just skip over the fact that you didn't tell me about the interview in the first place…" Kurt started.

"I didn't want to get my own hopes up. I knew that if you knew, you would be so happy, and I can't help but be happy and excited when you're happy and excited."

"Blaine, it's okay to want things," Kurt said seriously.

"I know, it's just…this would change the game. I've always had to rely on my parents for a lot, and even now when it's not them, but their inheritance, it just seems juvenile. This job would pay so much better and I would be able to stop relying on their money to pay for my apartment and Ollie's school."

"Blaine," Kurt said, not continuing until Blaine looked up into his eyes, "It's not juvenile to use the resources you have available. You could have easily been too proud to take their money, which, let's be honest, teenage Blaine would've easily been, but instead you used it to your advantage—you have a great apartment in a good, community-based neighborhood, you can send Ollie to private school—" Kurt took his hand, "I think it's incredibly brave." Blaine preened at the compliment and blushed slightly.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now how did the interview go?" Kurt asked before taking a roll, breaking it in half, and dipping it in the olive oil.

Blaine continued to retell the entire interview, complete with his struggle to find the office of the professor he was supposed to be interviewing with and the awkward aversion of questions when asked the pleasantries "Oh so are you married? No? Do you have a girlfriend?", and so on. Kurt laughed in all the appropriate places, but for most of the time, he was completely enthralled with Blaine's eyes in the moonlight of the deck, and how they were almost iridescent and glowed like a light at the end of a dark tunnel—Kurt internally chastised himself for being so cliché.

When the men finished dinner, and fought over the check (Blaine eventually winning with the classic "I'm staying at your house, it's the least I can do"), Kurt drove them a few minutes to one of the many small, often uninhabited beaches. Kurt took a blanket out of the car and laid it down once they reached sand closer to the water, and beckoned Blaine to sit down with him. He had been planning on telling Blaine something very important, and when he was thinking of possible places, he decided on Hampton Point simply because it was private, it was gorgeous, and it was calming. Kurt looked at Blaine who was peering out at the open ocean, watching how the moonlight reflected off of his tan skin. Blaine soon realized that he was being watched and turned around to meet Kurt's eyes, smiling brightly, and leaning in to softly kiss Kurt before pulling back and looking into his eyes. Kurt took a deep breath and began to try and start what he had planned to say. He was nervous, but Blaine's eyes were so warm and inviting it made him feel just that much safer.

"Blaine…"

"Kurt." Blaine mocked trying to imitate Kurt's sudden change in energy.

"Blaine, I want to tell you something, and I just want to get through it before you say anything, okay?"

That caught Blaine's attention, and now he was really curious to what Kurt wanted to tell him. "Sure."

Kurt took another deep breath and then started: "Blaine, this is probably the farthest thing from anything I had ever imagined happening after we broke up. When I first saw you at that desk, and I knew it was you, the only thing I could feel was happiness—I was so excited just to be able to see you again. I mean, one of my biggest regrets had been falling out of contact, and my reasons for that is so that I could make the break easier on both of us, so when I saw you, it's like all those feelings came back. After the first date, I became acutely aware of my feelings for you and I was scared to death that I was going to hurt both of us again by falling for you. But, the thing is, we're different. I mean, we're seventeen years older, for gods sake, and we've grown up, and had kids, and had life experiences, and we've lived life apart, and there's no doubting that we're different people…But, I think that's why this relationship works, because even though we've grown up, we've grown up into people that can be with each other." Kurt paused, and finally got to his point. He looked deeply into his lover's eyes, and simply said, "I'm in love with you."

Blaine was rendered speechless, trying to comprehend everything Kurt had said, especially the last part. At Blaine's silence, Kurt was quick to clarify, "I've been so, so careful, Blaine, and I made sure that I wasn't just relying on old feelings that felt comfortable, and I can say that I'm confident that I love you. I love you, the you who you are now—"

Kurt was silenced by an intensely passionate kiss, Blaine moving his lips sensually over Kurt's, trying to portray everything he felt. He pulled away and stared directly into Kurt's beautifully glasz eyes.

"I love you, too." And that's all it took for Kurt to launch himself onto the other man, landing on top of him, Blaine laying down.

Though the kiss started off fast and aggressive, it soon slowed into an equally passionate, but slower, more careful embrace of lips moving over lips and tongues licking behind teeth and over lips. They stayed like that for a while, just dragging lips over lips and creating an intricate dance between their tongues, until they needed to pull back for air. They stayed close together, though, letting their warm breaths intermingle, just staring into each others lust-blown pupils. Suddenly realizing where they were, Kurt put another chaste kiss to Blaine's lips (much too short for Blaine's liking), and rolled over so that they were lying next to each other on the blanket. Blaine was absently rubbing his left hand over Kurt's stomach, aching for any closeness they could have in that moment. Kurt looked over and smiled at the younger man, sitting up and pulling him up with him.

"Come on, let's go back to the house."

xxxxxxx

The men arrived home giddier than when they had left the beach, the profundity of their situation finally sinking in for both of them. They were home a bit early, but found Ollie sleeping soundly in his bed, making adorable little faces as he dreamed. Kurt found his daughter and Cole watching TV on the couch under a blanket, luckily doing nothing other than lightly cuddling. Effie saw her dad walk in and tried to readjust herself as subtly as possible, trying to move off of her boyfriend's lap, though her father didn't seem to mind too much.

"Hey, was Ollie okay for you guys?"

"Yah, he was great. Cole read him a story and he was down by 7. Car ride must've tired him out."

"Good," Kurt said with a genuine smile, finding everything was making him happier than usual, and Effie saw that right away.

"You look happy."

"What, I'm not aloud to be happy?" Kurt teased and Cole chuckled, certainly earning a few brownie points.

"No, you are. But it's suspicious. You can't get anything past me." Effie probed.

"Just…just a good night," Kurt said, causing a huge grin to appear on his face once again.

At that moment, Blaine came up behind him and wrapped his arms around the taller man's waist, kissing the back of his neck and saying hello to the two teenagers.

''Dad, Maggie's having a pool party at her house, and I was wondering if we could go," Effie immediately put on her puppy-dog pout.

"Are her parents going to be there?" Kurt asked, his usual question when Effie asked to go out to parties.

"Yah, and it's not a huge thing. Just a few friends. We'll be home by 12," she assured her father.

Kurt thought about it for a second. "Well, since you've been so good with taking Ollie last minute, yes." Effie grinned widely. "But, no drugs, no boos, no boys," he stared pointedly at Cole, who cowered back slightly. Then he looked back to his daughter, "Don't betray my trust, and get back by 12. I trust you. Have fun."

xxxxxxx

Five minutes later, Effie and Cole were out the door saying quick "byes" and "thank yous". Once they heard the unmistakable noise of the door closing from the living room, the two men looked at each other and Blaine began to laugh.

"What?"

"Who's the one with ulterior motives now?" He asked teasingly.

"Oh, like you won't benefit, too," Kurt said with mock exasperation, quickly leading Blaine up the stairs to their shared bedroom.

"Oh, no, I will most certainly benefit," Blaine said, as he began to back Kurt up to the bed, the taller boy falling backwards, and Blaine soon following with what could only be described as a sultry look plastered across his face.

"I will be benefiting very much," He said with a laugh as he ground down into Kurt's clothed, half-hard cock.

"Wipe that smirk off your face, and come make love to me, please," Kurt gasped as he thrust up, meeting Blaine's movements.

"Will do."

**A/N: So I will be leaving for Costa Rica tomorrow, and will be gone for two weeks without computer or internet. But, I will be writing long hand out the new chapters, so all I will have to do when I get back is copy them and upload, so to make up for my absence, expect frequent updates once I get back. Please review and comment on where you think the story should go next, or suggestions you have for future chapters, because those really help. Like, a lot. Thanks! See y'all soon!**


	14. Chapter 14

Over the next week, they generally ran on variations of the same schedule day to day:

8: Ollie wakes up and runs into Kurt and Blaine's room to excitedly jump on the bed asking to go to the beach.

9.15: Kurt, Blaine, and Ollie leave for the beach, sand toys in tow, leaving the teenagers to sleep in.

10.30: Ollie and Blaine finally convince Kurt to come in the water with them after fifteen minutes of the man complaining about "sun burn" and his "fair complexion". Cue Blaine ogling at Kurt's perfectly pale and toned chest, water dripping down.

11: Effie and Cole finally arrive and Cole is quickly pulled by Ollie to make a sandcastle, not giving Kurt enough time to try and interrogate him, while Effie prefers tanning.

5: Everyone leaves the beach and walks to the grocery store where Kurt gets the ingredients needed for the meal he wants to make that night.

7: Dinner and then everyone watches a movie together, Blaine always opting to make popcorn on the stove. Ollie always ends up falling asleep an hour into it, unless it's Aladdin, of course.

11: Kurt and Blaine go to bed after a lazy make-out session, or, if feeling adventurous, an occasional handjob or blowjob, never daring to take it farther when they know they're possibly awake kids are in the next room over.

This schedule became incredibly comfortable for all involved, especially Kurt and Blaine who got very used to waking up next to each other—a true rarity when they were back in New York. So comfortable, in fact, that both men were dreading the impending separation—of course, they would see each other all the time, but physically sleeping together provided an intimacy that both yearned for in the relationship.

One morning when Ollie hand not come into wake the men up, Kurt opened his eyes slowly, moving back into consciousness, and realized that Blaine was still asleep as he turned around in the younger man's arms. It had been a while since he had gotten to observe Blaine in sleep, but he quickly saw that what he was seeing now was not much different than that of him as a teenager—he always looked incredibly peaceful and content, amid all the turmoil and chaos that was present in his life. In sleep, Blaine didn't have to deal with the anxiousness spurred by the rocky relationship with his parents or worrying about past romantic relationships that had ended less than fantastically (he didn't like to admit it, but Kurt knew that Blaine was still a bit haunted by his relationship with Ryan and how it had ended). Kurt admired the way Blaine's cheekbones were completely relaxed, as were the muscles around his eyes, making his expression so neutral, which was rare during consciousness because of Blaine's expressive nature.

The aforementioned man's eyes began to flutter slowly, almost sensing the scrutiny he was undergoing, and soon his eyes were completely open, immediately finding his boyfriend's face over him and smiling in amazement that the first thing he saw each morning was such a beautiful sight—almost every day he continued to ask whatever higher powers were up there what he did to deserve such a perfect man.

"Watching me sleep?" Blaine asked, his arms still around Kurt's waist rubbing up and down his back.

"You're gorgeous when you sleep," Kurt smiled, and then continued, "Well, you're always gorgeous, but there's a whole different quality when you sleep," reaching his hand to cup Blaine's jaw. Blaine smiled in return.

"Well, that was an amazing way to wake up," Blaine said before leaning over to kiss softly on Kurt's lips, "considering the alternative is a crazy four-year-old jumping on my head," he continued after pulling back.

"Speaking of, where is Ollie? It's," Kurt turned to look at the clock, "9:30 already. He's certainly not asleep still."

As if on cue, Kurt's phone buzzed on the nightstand blinking with a message from his daughter: "Don't worry about the maniac you call a toddler, we kidnapped him before he could wake you up and Cole and I took him to the beach. You're welcome."

Kurt smiled at the implications and turned to show the message to Blaine, who, in return, hooked his right leg around Kurt's waist so that the taller man could feel his already half-hard erection straining against his pajama pants.

"Someone's excited. Looks like you don't even need my help," Kurt teased, moving his hips away the slightest amount.

"Mhmmmm," Blaine mumbled, pulling his arms around Kurt tighter so that their bodies were pressed flush together again, "You can't blame me when you're sleeping so close to me, your ass pressed up against my dick, squirming in reaction to some dream you were having," Blaine practically growled as he grabbed Kurt's ass and pulled him further so their hips were now rubbing against each other, making Kurt's cock rise to attention, all the blood in his body flowing towards that one area.

"Well," Kurt said as he rocked his hips in a circular motion, teasing his boyfriend, "I better help you with that, then." Kurt suddenly turned them both over so that he was straddling the shorter man and kissing his way down his already shirtless chest, licking his way into his bellybutton and then tracing the trail of thin black hair leading below Blaine's sweatpants. Blaine continued to roll his hips up, desperately searching for the friction his achingly hard cock needed, finally being rewarded when Kurt spread his legs, knelt between them, and began to reciprocate the gyrations. Kurt then palmed Blaine through his pants, eliciting a low moan from the writhing man, while fishing the lube out of the drawer. Blaine whined desperately as his dick got impossibly harder as Kurt rubbed him off with one hand while taking off his sleep pants with the other—Blaine never thought that multitasking could be so sexy. As Blaine pushed his hips up further to get Kurt to move faster, Kurt laughed breathlessly and finally relented, situating himself over Blaine once again and removing the shorter man's final piece of clothing, causing Blaine to squeak as the fabric caught over his cock. The two men hadn't gone further than blowjobs or handjobs in at least a week, which only made Blaine more desperate for the intimacy that actual sex provided. Kurt sensed Blaine's desperation, and he would be a liar if he didn't admit he was feeling it too, so he coated his fingers with lube and stretched Blaine as quickly as he could manage, considering that Blaine hadn't bottomed since they had left New York. The fingering only left Blaine more breathless and needy, quietly pleading for Kurt to "get inside me already!" After a few minutes of Blaine's begging, Kurt couldn't take it any more (discovering in the process that desperation was a huge turn on for him), and slipped his three fingers out of his lover, replacing them quickly with his slick cock. From the moan that Blaine released after Kurt bottomed out, you would've thought that he was a sixteen-year-old having sex for the first time. As Kurt started to move, he could begin to tell that Blaine would bite his lip to try and control the moans threatening to erupt from his body, making his body almost shake with effort. The taller man leaned down and kissed him on the lips, opening his mouth so that he couldn't hold them in. When Blaine seemed hesitant, Kurt pulled back and started kissing up his neck, eventually making his way to his ear, and licking the outer shell before whispering seductively, "There's no one here but us. I want to hear you, so stop trying to hold those beautiful noises in." Blaine could only respond with a whine, Kurt's orders doing nothing to quell his incredibly hard erection.

"That's it," Kurt encouraged, as he slipped his hand up Blaine's body and tweaked his nipple, knowing that it's a soft spot for Blaine. The aforementioned man let out a loud, guttural, almost primal moan, causing Kurt to smile and mutter, "Good, mhhhm, so good," before beginning to thrust harder.

As both men came to completion a few minutes later, their bodies quaked with exhaustion and release, causing Kurt to collapse on Blaine, causing Blaine's cum to smear between their bodies. After Kurt came back to consciousness, he swiped a finger up Blaine's torso, collecting some of his lover's seed, and licked it off as he stared at the younger man.

"Kuuurt," Blaine whined, "I can't get hard again already. We're not seventeen."

Kurt smirked and rolled over onto the bed, reaching to the nightstand where tissues were conveniently located for this specific purpose.

xxxxxxxxx

After cleaning up and changing into their swim trunks and t-shirts, Kurt and Blaine headed to the beach to meet up with Effie, Cole, and Ollie, hoping that none of them had drown or fallen or gotten a tattoo while they were busy with other activities. As they entered the beach with intertwined hands and towels over their shoulders, Kurt thought about how picturesque this picture was: the man who he was in love with, holding his hand, staring lovingly at him, on a beach. As they reached a less populated part of the beach, Kurt turned around to face his lover, boyfriend, and so much more, and kissed him softly, thinking that nothing could ruin such a perfect moment—but that's just how life works doesn't it? The next thing Kurt knew, he was hearing his name called by a familiar voice that he couldn't quite place because he was too busy focusing on Blaine's amazing lips. He finally pulled away and looked around to where the incessant calling was coming from, only to come face to face with his brother, Finn. Kurt's eyes widened in surprise and fear, remembering that he had yet to tell anyone except a select few that he was dating his high school sweetheart.

"Hey, bro, what's up? It's been forever!" Finn exclaimed as he pulled Kurt into a bear hug, seemingly not even noticing Blaine.

Finn was now living in Chicago, working as a press representative for the Chicago Bears (Kurt learned recently that that was a football team), and so he didn't get to see him that much, save Christmas and Thanksgiving, and was definitely not expecting to see him at the beach of all places. But, he didn't really have time to contemplate Finn's motives, as he was quickly pulling out of the hug and looking expectantly at Kurt, as if he had just asked a question.

"What?"

"I said, 'Is this the mysterious man that you've been alluding to during our bro chats?' "

"Um, actually," Kurt desperately tried to think of something to say, but he knew there was no use lying, seeing as Finn would realize it was Blaine sooner or later, "yes. Yes, this is my boyfriend."

"Oh, cool," Finn finally turned to look at the younger man, with a goofy grin plastered on his face, leaving his hand out expectantly.

"I'm Finn." Blaine couldn't help but laugh at the fact that Finn had not recognized him yet. Before Blaine could say anything, though, Finn's face scrunched up in confusion, a clear display that he was thinking hard about something, "Dude, you look really familiar."

Blaine just continued to laugh with more fervor, and Kurt couldn't help but let out a nervous chuckle, though his face was still frozen in anxiousness.

"Yah, I can imagine."

"What's that supposed to—" Once Blaine's voice had registered, Finn put all the pieces together, and his mouth opened in shock, wearing all of his emotions clearly on his face. He was rendered speechless for a short time where Blaine continued to laugh softly, amused greatly by the situation, and Kurt's face paled even more, waiting to gauge Finn's reaction. Finally, Finn smiled widely and pulled Blaine into a huge hug, making Blaine look at Kurt confused, while Kurt just watched the scene in awe.

"Dude, it's been so long! I missed you, man."

"I missed you too, Finn," Blaine said, finally hugging the taller man back.

After a few seconds, Finn pulled back and then turned quickly to Kurt.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"What was I supposed to say, Finn? 'Hey, so I'm in love for the first time since Eli, with this guy who happens to be my high school sweetheart'? I didn't know how any of you would react if I told you, and I didn't want anyone interfering with the early stages. We wanted to see if it would work before we made a big deal about it."

Finn didn't seem to register any of that information because all he said in response was, "You love him?"

Kurt's face softened as he looked over at Blaine, and then looked back to his brother, nodding his head and smiling.

"Dude, that's awesome! I'm so happy for you!" He exclaimed, pulling Kurt into another hug and then, grabbing Blaine to come in as well. Kurt and Blaine looked at each other in the embrace, sharing similar expressions, both incredibly happy that Finn was taking this so well. Then, suddenly, Kurt remembered his questions from before and pulled back, taking Blaine's hand in the process.

"Finn, I'm so happy that you're here, but why?"

Finn looked confused once again, "You didn't know we were coming?"

Now everyone looked confused, "No, considering I never talked to you about it, I think it's safe to say that I didn't know."

"Effie called me and said that you wanted to have a family party out at the beach. I had some time off, so here I am," Finn smiled.

"Effie," Kurt mumbled, knowing that there must've been another reason than just kindness for her taking Ollie to the beach this morning. Blaine rested his arms around Kurt's waist to calm him down before registering what Finn had said before.

"What did you mean 'we'?"

At that moment, all three men heard a deep, authoritative voice coming from behind them, and they were all able to recognize it without a moments thought.

"Kurt?"

It was Burt Hummel, and he did not sound happy.

**A/N: Back from Costa Rica! Sorry it has been such a long break. I also started writing a new story and that should be up tonight or tomorrow, so check that out on my profile page. Just to clear up some confusion that has been lurking in the reviews about everyone's age: Kurt is 38 (close to turning 39) and Effie is 15, so he had her with Eli when he was 23 (and Eli was a bit older); they had been dating for three years. Blaine is 37 (turning 38), and Ollie is 4. Thanks for continuing to follow my story even throughout the break, and I hope y'all like this chapter! Reviews help me so much, and if you have suggestions, shoot them at me. Enjoy! Look forward to some family time next chapter…**


	15. Chapter 15

"Kurt?"

Both men knew who it was before they had to turn around and see him. At 38 years old, theoretically, Kurt should not be afraid of his own father; but suddenly the fear of Burt's disapproval made him not want to turn around and face the elder man. He chanced a look at Blaine to see that he seemed to be wearing a very similar expression, looking back at Kurt with wide eyes, his face having completely paled.

"Kurt," it was then that Kurt realized he had taken too long to turn around, and now he looked completely guilty, "kid, I can see you, there's no use in trying to hide now."

Kurt took a deep breath, tried to make his face as impassive as possible, and turned around. "Dad, hey," Kurt stumbles, fiddling with his hands, "what's up?"

Burt laughed at Kurt's anxiousness, making him even uneasier, "What's up? I haven't seen you in six months, and I didn't even know you had a boyfriend," he says, gesturing to Blaine's back, which was still turned towards the man, not revealing his identity.

"Dad, why are you here?" Kurt asks, trying to change the subject, though he's almost positive that his daughter had something to do with it.

"My granddaughter invited me here. Now, care to introduce me to the man you were just kissing?"

Kurt could vaguely hear Finn chuckle behind him and mentally sent him a death glare before turning to Blaine and giving him a look telling him to turn around. Blaine tried his best to seem happy and collected as he turned around to face the man he had last seen at Christmas Dinner 17 years ago. He didn't look much different except for a few more wrinkles around his eyes, and Blaine decided that both of the Hummels age extremely well.

"Burt Hummel," Burt sticks out his hand for Blaine to shake and the man looks at it nervously, before cautiously taking it, as if it would attack him if provoked.

"Dad, this is Blaine."

Blaine gave the older man his best charmer smile and shook his hand with a little more gusto, trying to portray an air of confidence.

"Blaine, huh? God, Kurt, that sounds awfully familiar. It's odd that you've now dated two men named Blaine," Burt said as he turned to Kurt with a pointed look, confused as to whether his father was kidding or seriously didn't put the puzzle pieces together, and even at 65 years old, the man was still very astute, leading Kurt to believe that it wasn't the latter.

"Two?" Finn piped up behind them, making Kurt turn around and glare at him, giving him a look practically saying 'stay out of this'.

"Finn, don't you remember? The dapper boy from that all-boys school," Blaine beamed at the compliment, despite the situation, "Finn, he went to your school for like a year—"

"Dad, I know who Blaine is, but I'm still confused as to what you mean by two."

"Ug, Finn, just shut up," Kurt practically spit out, not happy with how the scenario was playing out. He was planning on telling his father in due time, in a few months, and maybe over the phone where he couldn't see Burt's judgmental looks once he found out the truth.

"Maybe we should take this somewhere else," Blaine said, laughing nervously.

"No, I think we're fine out here," Burt started, stepping closer to Blaine now and looking right at him, "you got a last name, Blaine?"

Blaine gulped audibly under Burt's scrutiny and gave Kurt one last 'save me' look before looking back at the man, standing up straight, and deciding to just suck it up and tell him—he was going to find out sooner or later. "Burt, um, Anderson. Blaine Anderson," Blaine said slowly trying to gauge Burt's reaction, "I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that you didn't recognize me," he joked, trying to lighten the mood a little.

Burt's face was completely unreadable for at least ten seconds, during which he spent the time staring at the younger man. Finally, he looked into Blaine's eyes and the corners of his mouth began to quirk up in the remnants of a smile, which confused Blaine further. The small smile soon broke into a full-out grin, complete with Burt laughing.

"I know, kid, I was just trying to make you sweat it out," he said, bringing his arm up to rest reassuringly on Blaine's shoulder. Blaine looked deep into Burt's eyes—a man he had loved like a father, someone who's presence he had felt the loss of during his break-up with Kurt—and then back to his shoulder where Burt's hand was resting. Without thinking, Blaine drew the older man into a tight hug, to which Burt responded with a soft chuckle, "I missed you too, kid."

"How long have you known?" Blaine asks as he pulls back from the hug.

"Well let's just say that Effie is far from subtle," he looks over at Kurt who laughs in agreement and mostly just joy that his father is reacting so well.

"Well she'll be paying for that later," Kurt remarks.

"Hey, if she didn't tell me you never would have," Burt says, defending his granddaughter as he walks over to his son, "and we need to talk later."

Finn follows Burt towards where their stuff is set up on the beach, leaving Kurt and Blaine alone once again. Kurt reaches out his hand to grab Blaine's and pulls the younger man closer, smiling, happy now that his father has basically given his seal of approval, though that last comment still made him anxious. Nonetheless, he was here with Blaine and his family, and everything seemed to be going smoothly. He wraps his arms around Blaine's waist and gives him a chaste kiss, pulling away before he is tempted to deepen it further—they are in a very public place with Kurt's family about ten yards away.

"I love you," Kurt says as he pulls back, looking deep into Blaine's eyes, letting him know that he means every word of it.

"I love you, too," Blaine retorts, moving his right hand in a soothing, circular motion around Kurt's back.

xxxxxxxx

Effie mostly avoids Kurt all day at the beach, knowing that she is in for a whirlwind once he gets a hold of her. With that in mind, she keeps herself busy by taking the responsibility of Ollie and coaxing her uncle into long conversations about stuff she could honestly care less about. It turns out that Finn had brought his twin boys and his wife, Bea, (she had definitely not invited them), so they also provided a distraction. Grant and Peyton were cute, sure, she would give them that, but they may just be the most insane ten-year-olds she had ever met. She also makes sure that Grandpa Burt and Carole are distracting her father most of the time, keeping him busy enough. Between the two of them, she thinks she can get through the day, and then maybe it will all blow over by tonight. Maybe. Hopefully. Probably not.

As she walks down the street towards her house next to Cole carrying Ollie on his shoulders, she thinks about how she could imagine calling the young boy her brother. She had always wanted siblings, but according to her dads, she had been hard enough to handle by herself. And, she guessed, by the time she reached eleven and they could think about having another kid, Papa started to get sick and that was no longer an option.

She felt a hand slip into her own and thinking it was her boyfriends she smiled down at them, but turned to find out it was her father with a devious, threatening smirk on his face.

"We need to talk," Kurt said only loud enough for her to hear. Effie could see that they were getting dangerously close to the house and realized that there was no way to distract her father now. Taking in a deep breath, she decided to just get it over with; he couldn't be that mad, right?

As they entered the house, Blaine led everyone to the family room as Kurt led Effie upstairs and into her room, decorated with pictures and posters from her childhood. Front and center across from her bed was a giant picture of her family at the launch party for Kurt's new clothing line—her 10-year-old self was in the middle, wearing a pink dress Kurt had designed, while her two fathers towered over her, Eli kissing Kurt on the cheek while Kurt smiled widely, looking as proud as she had ever seen him. She didn't realize that she had been staring at it until Kurt's figure interrupted her line of sight, breaking her out of her trance.

"Effie?" Once Kurt saw he had finally got her attention, he decided to get right to the point. "Would you like to tell me why you had our entire family ambush me at the beach today?"

Effie looked up at him guiltily before looking down at her bedspread, "If I said that I wanted a good old family reunion would you believe me?"

"No, so spill."

"Okay," Effie said before taking a breath, "truth is, I know you think that I don't like Blaine or that I don't approve of your relationship or whatever, but, I don't know, I like him and he makes you happy. I ended up calling Grandpa Burt a few weeks ago because I was randomly really upset about Papa and I just wanted to talk to someone—"

"Effie, you can always talk to me, you know that," Kurt said, rubbing his hand up and down his daughters arm, attempting to reassure her.

"I know, it's just," Effie said, voice cracking a bit, "you're so happy with Blaine, and I love it when you're happy. I didn't want to ruin that by depressing you with my small thing. It's not even like it was the anniversary or anything it was just a random day and I was just thinking…" Effie said determined not to cry.

"Effie, don't ever think of your problems as insignificant, not when they're about this, okay?" Kurt asks, squeezing the arm he's been rubbing.

"Yah, okay," she says finally looking up at her father with grateful eyes.

"Anyway, I was talking to him and I mentioned you dating someone and he eventually got it out of me that it was someone that you had known in high school and I thought it would be interesting to see what would happen and you had just told me that Blaine and Ollie were coming to the beach with us and it kind of just came out."

"And Finn?"

"I guess Grandpa Burt mentioned it to Finn and then Finn called me, and I kind of had to invite him. I guess I dug myself deeper than I had imagined earlier."

As Effie looked up at her father, she found that he didn't look angry or upset, but happy.

"What?"

"So you didn't do this to try and break up Blaine and me?"

That surprised Effie, "What? No!" She said, almost offended at the assumption. "No, no, I like Blaine, and like I said, you guys are happy together. Also, I'm not 12, so I'm not gonna go behind your back to try and break you up. That's like something from a bad romcom."

"Really, cause it seems like something you would do," Kurt teased with a smirk.

"Haha," Effie retorts, smacking Kurt playfully on the arm. The father and daughter make their way down the stairs towards the family room. Burt and Carole are doting around Oliver, listening him explain the events of a particularly exciting day in the park a few weeks ago when he saw a dog try to kill a squirrel; Blaine and Finn are talking to Cole about football (boys will be boys), and Finn is trying to tell everyone his theory about how the Bears really are the best, attempting to convince the other boys that he is not biased. As Kurt and Effie make their way into the living room, Kurt whispers, "This is payback," into his daughters ear, not giving her time to comprehend what was just said, before he goes up to Burt and loudly announces that the blonde boy sitting on the couch is his granddaughter's girlfriend, knowing that it will lead to an incredibly awkward conversation led by an immensely protective Burt. Effie looks incredulously at her father who just sticks his tongue out in return, before pulling Blaine towards the kitchen to help him with dinner. She can't help but let out a groan as her grandfather strides over to her boyfriend and commands him up with his eyes, leading him towards a more private space.


	16. Chapter 16

Burt, Carole, Finn and all of his family left a few days later after too many family bonding sessions and barbeques to count. They made Kurt promise to come and visit them sooner rather than later, but left willingly, knowing that Kurt and Blaine only had two more days to be together up there after that, and that they soon had to return to their busy lives with jobs, appointments, and separate apartments. That last part was the one to plague both the boys' minds in the last few days of their trip. Blaine was worried to bring it up, he didn't want to push Kurt or Effie into it—it had only been a few months over a year since Eli had died. Kurt didn't know what he wanted; well, he knew for sure that he wanted to live with Blaine, but he wasn't sure what that would entail and what that would mean for their relationships. Both boys' brains were riddled with insecurities that were carefully covered up by calm and collected facades.

It was their last full day before leaving for the city and instead of going to the beach, the family decided to spend their time downtown at the Art Festival, an annual outdoor art show complete with the best local painters, sculptors, and artisans. Kurt always knew that this was a time when he would be tempted to spend much more money than necessary, but it had become a tradition for their family and he had made the decision to include Blaine in that tradition.

As the five passed the shops, then the church, and rounded the corner, Kurt picked up Ollie, per the toddler's request, onto his shoulders, as Effie and Cole walked a few paces ahead, holding hands and talking animatedly. Over the course of the past two weeks, he hated to admit it, but Kurt had grown quite fond of his daughter's boyfriend—the boy was very keen into fashion for such a jock, he had figured that Effie had played some part in that, and he was always talking to Blaine about music; apparently, the boy was a fan of oldies, perfect for Blaine's high school self, which he still sometimes inhabited.

As they walked further up the grassy hill, they could hear airy, folk music getting louder, a clear indication that they were approaching the festival. As Ollie heard the music, he got even antsier, and Kurt had to put him down, finally releasing his grasp when they could see the entrance, so that he could skip a few paces ahead.

As Ollie went ahead, Blaine grasped Kurt's now-free hand, and smiled at him brightly, the music and amazing weather, making his happy disposition come out in full force.

Kurt smiled back, squeezing his boyfriend's hand, before leading him past the entrance, knowing exactly where Ollie would want to go first. Maybe if they could get him occupied, they could do some shopping of their own.

"You start to look around," Kurt started as he turned to Blaine, "I'll get Ollie situated at the face-painting station, and then come find you."

"Sounds good," Blaine smiled and kissed Kurt on the cheek, releasing his hand and walking over to a nearby booth selling paintings of the yachts and sailboats and sunsets that become incredibly typical in this area.

Next thing he knew, Kurt felt Ollie tugging at his arm relentlessly, looking intently at him and pointing to the display.

"Kurt, Kurt! I want a tiger! Can I please get a tiger?" He practically begged, making Kurt chuckle.

"Of course, now go up and tell the lady—" Kurt couldn't finish his sentence because, suddenly before him, he saw a face he had come to know and love in the many years that he and Eli had vacationed to the Cape.

"Kurt Hummel? Is that you? I thought you had disappeared off the face of the earth!" The plump older woman said excitedly, pulling Kurt into a bone-crushing hug.

"I know I'm so sorry, Pamela, it's been so long," Kurt smiled genuinely happy to see the woman again.

Pamela looked down at Ollie and saw him clutching Kurt, and then looked back up at the man with a questioning glance.

"Did you steal this kid? Cause you definitely didn't have him last time I saw you two years ago." She smirked.

Kurt chuckled and looked down at the confused boy, "No, no didn't steal him, but I can see why someone would want too," he smiled, "Ollie, this is Pamela."

Ollie quickly stuck his hand out, the little boy loving making a first impression and quickly recited, "I'm Oliver Anderson, and I'm four."

"Why hello Oliver Anderson," Pamela greeted, "I am Pamela Verro, and I'm not going to tell you how old I am," with a wink. "And how do you know my friend Kurt, Ollie."

"Kurt is my daddy's boyfriend," Ollie said, preoccupied with the picture of the tiger-face painted child on the display window.

Pamela raised both of her eyebrows and smiled teasingly, "Boyfriend. That's why you've been so absent lately," she wiggled her eyebrows a few times and Kurt smacked her playfully on the shoulder.

"No, but, seriously, Kurt. I'm really happy for you. All of us really thought you should get out there after what happened. I'm glad that you seem to be happy. He's making you happy, right?" There was a tone of protective threatening in her voice, and Kurt dispelled her fears as quickly as they came.

"Happiest I've been in a while," Kurt smiled widely.

"Good. I want to meet this guy, and I know he's here now because you have his kid. How bout you bring him over when you come pick Ollie up. I'll give him his face paint and let him finger paint until you guys are ready to come back. Have fun!"

"Thank you." Kurt went in for another hug and then left to go find Blaine.

After walking around for a few minutes, Kurt finally spotted Blaine at a stand selling bags and accessories made from old sailboat sails. He was currently looking at a family sized tote, talking animatedly to the salesman about how his mother had a similar bag as a kid. Kurt snuck up behind him and slid his arms around the shorter man's waist, placing a kiss on the back of his neck. Blaine quickly turned around and smiled.

"Kurt, look at this bag! Isn't it amazing? It's totally something that Mama Anderson would've had, don't you think. I really think I should get it. Do you think I should?" Blaine spit out in one breath. Kurt couldn't help but laugh at his excitement.

"Yes, if you like it so much you should definitely get it. It will definitely come in handy since we are leaving tomorrow," Kurt joked.

"Oh, right," Blaine realized, "I guess it would be kind of stupid to buy it when we're leaving and won't go to the beach for a while," Blaine said with a hint of sadness.

"No, Blaine, I was joking," Kurt explained, "And so what, we can use it next year," Kurt said offhandedly as he let go of Blaine and walked a few steps away, looking at the other bags nearby. He didn't even really realize what he was saying, and he definitely didn't see Blaine's acute awareness of his words. He said "next year". He was clearly thinking about their future together and that included another whole year. What would they be doing next year? Would they be living together? Yes. Engaged? Maybe. Ok, Blaine shook the thoughts from his head, worrying that he was reading too much into it. He bought the bag and rejoined Kurt, clasping his hand, and letting him lead him to his 'favorite station', which, from the looks of it, seemed to be filled with oil paintings.

The men looked carefully at them, admiring certain aspects of each one, until the rounded the corner to the back, and Kurt's mouth dropped open. He would recognize that beach anywhere. It was a picture of the small, private beach Kurt had taken Blaine on their first night here, the night when they had declared their love for each other. The painting showed the beach right before sunset, so that the lines of ocean and sand were still visible, but overshadowed by the vibrant colors that overtake it when the sun sinks beneath the darkness.

Blaine looks over and stares at Kurt's reaction, smiling to himself how much that night must've meant to him, starting to think that maybe it had meant as much to Kurt as it did to him. Kurt finally catches Blaine staring at him and turns to him, still with an awed look on his face, and the two men stare deeply into each others eyes for a few seconds.

Finally, Blaine says, "We have to buy it."

Kurt just smiles and doesn't think to protest, nodding and then pulling Blaine into a hug.

"WE do have to buy it. Together. It should be ours."

And that's when it hits Blaine that they had never owned anything together before. Not even when they were dating the first time around. This is the first hugely significant thing in their relationship that they will share, and the feeling is exhilarating.

Blaine pulled back from the hug and caught Kurt's lips in a chaste, but passionate kiss, staying keenly aware of their surroundings but wanting to make this moment memorable.

"I love you," he whispered once he had pulled back, keeping his head as close to Kurt's as possible.

"I love you, too," Kurt replied before giving him one more peck, smiling brightly, and getting the painter so that they could buy the art.

Fifteen minutes later, painting in hand, they made their way back to the face-painting booth to find Oliver not only covered ear to ear in black and orange paint, but also on his hands and legs, colored with all colors of the rainbow, currently going after a young girl with his fingers outstretched. He caught sight of Blaine and quickly ran over to him, jumping excitedly, Blaine gladly noticing that the paint was not wet.

"Daaaaaaddy!"

"Ahhh, who is this scary tiger. What did you do with my son?" Blaine teased, throwing Ollie up in the air and tickling him.

"Noo, daddy, it's me! It's Oliver! Daddy, stop!" Ollie pleaded, Blaine finally relenting and putting the young boy down. Oliver ran over to the young girl whom he was playing with before and began to tag her. Kurt turned to where Pamela was watching on and smiled.

"Pamela this is Blaine, Blaine this is a longtime friend and avid face-painter, Pamela," Kurt introduced, Blaine and Pamela both sticking out their hands to greet the other in a friendly gesture.

"Nice to meet you," Blaine smiled.

"Likewise," Pamela returned, "I'd like to say that Kurt here has told us so much about you, but we've only just reunited today. But, you seem to make him very happy, so keep it that way," Pamela explained, Blaine trying not to be too worried about the small threat.

"Of course," Blaine responded confidently, "He means a lot to me. I'll do anything to make him happy."

"I'm glad."

The two men talked to the older woman for a few minutes before Effie made her way over to the booth, giving her own greeting and getting the typical "you look so much older", "how tall are you now?", and "have you been eating?" before she had to introduce Cole, leading down another whole line of questioning. Half an hour later, they were ready to leave, with a promise to call Pamela as soon as they were back in the city to set something up (she lived in Connecticut, so it wasn't too far). Effie and Cole took Ollie ahead to get some ice cream, while Kurt and Blaine walked at a more leisurely pace, content to walk in comfortable silence, but both wishing to broach the topic that was on both of their minds. Finally, Blaine broke the ice.

"So, what are we going to do with the painting?"

Kurt smiled, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's ours right?"

"Yes, it's ours…I like the way that sounds," Kurt mused.

"Me too," Blaine stared at Kurt for a few seconds before he remembered where he had been going with this. "What I was trying to say was…like, what do we do with it. Where does it go?"

"Oooh," Kurt said, finally understanding.

"I mean, of course we can keep it at your apartment, I just…I think we should both get to experience and be reminded of that night because it means so much to us and I'm just confused—"

"Blaine."

"Yes?" Blaine asked, thankful for Kurt's interruption.

"I…I think we should move in together."

**A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry for the long wait. I know I kind of kept you guys hanging, but I haven't been home in two weeks and this was the first chance I got at a computer, so hopefully it was worth it. I'm so excited to write them back in the city. Thanks for reading and keeping up, and of course for all of you who review! Love you!**


	17. Chapter 17

"What?" Blaine asked, dumfounded and unable to comprehend not only that Kurt wanted to move in with him at all, but that he had gotten to asking first.

"Uh, well, I guess that was stupid," Kurt started to shake his head and look down, blushing, embarrassed that Blaine was reacting the way he'd hoped. Little did he know that Blaine was probably more excited than he was. As Blaine noticed Kurt's sudden shyness, he pulled himself together and willed his brain to at least form a coherent enough sentence to reassure the other man.

"No, Kurt, what I mean was 'Of course I want to move in with you!' I was just…I guess I just couldn't believe that you felt the same way," Blaine laughed, drawing Kurt's attention upward, now with a noticeable glint of hope in his eye.

"Seriously? Is that a yes?" Kurt asked, a giant smile plastered on his face, looking as if he was about to jump up and down in the middle of downtown Chatham, a gesture that nostalgically reminded Blaine of Kurt's younger, exuberant self.

"This is absolutely a yes," Blaine said as he wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist, slowly pulling him into an embrace. Kurt placed his arms around Blaine's neck, and slowly dipped in for a kiss, soft and chaste, being in public, but still filled with all the emotions that come along with taking a step like this in a relationship: love, anxiousness, hope, and joy.

As Blaine pulled back from the kiss and broke the embrace to take Kurt's hand and begin walking, he finally shared with Kurt what he had been thinking about all afternoon.

"I was actually about to ask you the same thing, you know. I was in the middle of getting it out when you beat me to the punch." He joked.

"Well, maybe if you were more specific and less babbly then it wouldn't have been a problem," Kurt teased back.

"Babbly? I resent that accusation."

"Oh you love that about yourself. It's part of your charm." Kurt said, as he bopped Blaine's nose with his finger, laughing to himself. Blaine tried to keep a mask of anger on, but couldn't for long, soon breaking under Kurt's ministrations, as they walked hand in hand to the ice cream shop to meet their children.

Two weeks later it was finally the set date that Blaine would begin to move his stuff into Kurt's apartment. They had discussed at length whether they should go about the process of buying a new apartment or if they should just move into one they already owned. The latter seemed to fit their situation better, and they figured that they could always go out and look around for a new apartment, but this way there wouldn't be too much stress. Blaine had gotten a call three days after they had made the long journey back from the Cape, from the Dean of Faculty at Columbia offering him the position of an American Literature Professor. This meant that it would be much easier for him to be living uptown, and conveniently, Kurt had an apartment just a short subway ride away from campus. So the decision had been made, the pair had celebrated, and here they were in the present, unloading boxes from Kurt's car that they had begrudgingly driven through the streets of New York all the way from the Village to the Upper West Side through the horrendous city traffic. Kurt, always the organized, had assigned jobs for everyone in the moving process. When Blaine had suggested that they should just get movers, he scoffed at the idea, saying that he would never pay people that ridiculously high sum of cash just for them to do a job that the families could easily do themselves. And so here they were; Kurt had assigned Blaine and himself to the duty of unloading the car and bringing the boxes into the lobby of the apartment building, then it was Effie and Cole, well, mostly Cole, as Effie had taken a better liking to staying in the apartment and "babysitting" Oliver, would take the boxes from the lobby to the apartment, and it would be Ollie's job—he insisted on having one—to push the boxes to the living room of the apartment and unpack.

"Babe, what is this?" Kurt asked as soon as Blaine got close enough to the car to hear him.

"What is what?" Blaine replied, making his way to the trunk to pick up another box.

"This box," Kurt started, "It says 'Blaine's Stuff'."

"Well, it's what it sounds like, I guess. My stuff. What's so weird about it," Blaine said, not meeting Kurt's eyes.

"No it's just that up until now all of the boxes have been overly specific: 'Ollie's toys 12-24 months', 'Ollie's Clothes', 'Blaine's Pictures: Middle and High School'," Kurt explained.

Blaine just mhmmm'ed in acknowledgment, feigning disinterest.

Kurt started to get a little angry—if there's one thing Kurt Hummel hated, it was being ignored and he was honestly curious.

"Fine," Kurt said, with a bite that made Blaine cringe inwardly, "I can always just open it."

"No!" Blaine quickly said as he turned around at lightning speed and shut the cover that Kurt had slowly began to open with a smirk on his face.

"Ug, Blaine, seriously, what is it? What is it that you can't show me?" Kurt asked, genuinely concerned.

Blaine looked at Kurt for a long time and then looked back down at the box, muttering something incoherent.

"What, Blaine?"

Blaine huffed and then said in an exaggerated whisper, "They're my sex toys, Kurt."

Kurt's eyebrows quickly raised in surprise and intrigue, the right side of his mouth slowly raising into a devilish smirk, that seemed to show a hint of Kurt's arousal. It was safe to say that Blaine was happy with Kurt's reaction—he had expected something of disgust, something like "Blaine, we are almost 40 years old", but all he saw was a look that told him they would be getting good use out of the toys later.

Kurt slowly stepped towards Blaine, closing the distance between them, and put his face right next to Blaine's ear, taking a few seconds to just breath and let Blaine feel the warm air, making his body tingle all the way down to where his cock was slowly starting to pay attention. Finally, Kurt spoke.

"Blaine Anderson, you have been a naughty boy, hiding these things from me," Kurt said in his best phone-sex operator voice, very low and raspy, "But I guess you'll have to show me how a few of these toys work." Kurt accentuated his last sentence by snaking his left arm down Blaine's back and squeezing his ass, making Blaine thrust forward. Kurt then picked up the box, walked away and winked. Blaine was suddenly aware of how very public this space was, glad that no one had seen them. When he turned around to watch Kurt walk in the front doors, he saw Cole standing outside, distinctly giving him a thumbs up, proof that he had seen the whole encounter.

He was starting to like this boy more and more every day.

**A/N: Short, short, short, I know, but I've felt so bad about my lack of updating this past month and I wanted to let y'all know that I'm back to, hopefully, regular updates! Yay! I would like to say that it was really all of the Private Messages I got that encouraged me to keep writing, and really made me realize that people are reading and enjoying this, so please keep reviewing and telling me how you like it! Hopefully there will be kinky sex in the next chapter. See you soon!**


	18. Chapter 18

Dinner that night was expected to be nothing if not interesting.

It was to be their first family dinner since Blaine and Ollie moved in, and Kurt was hell bent on making it memorable. While he shooed Blaine away to their bedroom, he began preparation on dinner: marinated balsamic chicken with tomatoes, calamata olives, and feta cheese, all over couscous.

A few years back, Kurt had found the recipe in one of his mother's old cooking books that his father had sent him during his and Carole's move to DC. This was now his go-to dish in times of need: it was quick, tasted amazing, and was pretty difficult to screw up, though he wasn't planning on taking any chances.

One thing about his apartment was that it had always been relatively quiet. Occasionally, Effie would play music from her room, but rarely would it ever reach downstairs or even just into his bedroom. Even as a child, Effie was pretty calm, always playing contently with her dolls or quietly watching a movie. Then again, he didn't see much of the bad times of her toddler years considering that was the time he would work endlessly to finish his lines, desperately trying to climb up the professional ladder.

He thinks about how this simple fact seems to have changed essentially overnight as he hears the yelling voice of Ollie over the crushing sounds coming from what must be some Transformer-esque TV show. Surprisingly, though, he doesn't find himself annoyed. Yes, he had always appreciated the peace and general calm his space had provided, but it was exciting to have this new energy in the space. He knew that Blaine, having a child-like energy, would do nothing but add to the new environment.

As if on cue, he heard the aforementioned man make his descent down the stairs, running across the floor and sliding in his socks on the hardwood, landing near his son and picking him up, causing an eruption of laughter. Kurt smiled to himself, looking through to the living room with his hand on his hip, watching Blaine play with his son.

Blaine caught his eye and winked at him, smiling huge, before turning back to hear Ollie explaining the different characters in his game involving his Transformers action figures. Kurt turned back to his work, pouring the olives into a bowl and beginning to slice the baby tomatoes. Before he got too far though, Effie enters and comes up behind her father, leaning on the kitchen counter, watching her father.

"No Cole?"

"No, he had to go home,"

"Well, figures his parents would probably like to see him considering he spends most of his day here or out with you somewhere," Kurt joked. The wit didn't seem to affect Effie, the sad look remaining on her face.

"Yah, I guess."

Kurt turns to give his daughter his full attention, scrutinizing her face, trying to determine what's hiding underneath her carefully calculated façade. Sensing her father's scrutiny, Effie quickly shakes it off, and attempts at a change in subject.

"So, what're you making?" Effie asks, picking at an olive and popping it into her mouth.

"Balsamic chicken," he says, slapping her hand playfully, "and don't pick."

"Sorry, sorry," Effie says, putting her hands up in mock surrender.

Just as Kurt turns around, Effie playfully picks up another olive and hastily pops it in her mouth, smiling deviously at her father. They both crack up and as Effie almost chokes on the olive, they settle themselves down. They stand in comfortable silence for a minute, Kurt slicing tomatoes, Effie watching him.

"So, your birthday's coming up."

"Hmmm," Effie agrees, seemingly knocked out of her stupor.

"And I know you've been thinking about it so spill. Are we thinking clothes—cause I'm really good in that department, or…concert tickets? Or…" When Effie doesn't answer him, Kurt decides to continue, "Or…maybe a trip to Ohio? Oh I know how much you looove Ohio," Kurt says teasingly, "Or…I could get you that new Taylor Swift CD. I've heard she's all the rage with girls your age nowadways," Kurt teased.

"Ha, ha, look at Dad being all funny," Effie retorts.

"Oh, c'mon Ef, I've taught you better than that."

Effie just rolls her eyes, "Bye, Dad." After she exits though, Kurt can hear her yell from the stairs "And if you get me that CD so help you god, just wait until I get you UGG slippers for your birthday."

Kurt gasps, and Effie sticks her tongue out jokingly, marching up the steps to change. Kurt notices that Blaine has been watching the scene go down with a smirk on his face, and just as the two make eye contact, the timer from the oven goes off, and Kurt spins on his heal to take the chicken out.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Dinner was a success and seemingly went off without a hitch. Kurt only had to ask twice for Effie to put her phone away while they ate and Ollie did spill food on his pants, but Kurt, always to the rescue, was quick to put seltzer water on it. In spite of that, though, everyone sang praises for the meal, Ollie in particular saying, "Kurt, this is the BEST thing I've ever had. Ever! Except maybe French fries. And ice cream. But, this is the one, two, three—the third best thing I've ever had!"

Later that night, once Ollie had been tucked into bed, after three bedtime stories, all including Blaine doing character voices, the two men had just changed into their pajamas and were climbing into bed. Blaine pulled Kurt down into his arms, admiring his messed-up hair and his flushed cheeks, encircling his arms around his waist and nuzzling his nose into his exposed neck. The shorter man began placing feather-light kisses there, speaking softly and slowly to make time for getting acquainted with his lovers' neck.

"I had fun tonight."

"Me too," Kurt let out a contented sigh as Blaine continued his ministrations.

"And this—being able to come home and have you be there. And being able to sleep with you every night," at this, Blaine looked up into Kurt's eyes, "it's unbelievable. I don't know who to thank, but I feel like I need to thank someone."

Kurt smiled and leaned in, kissing Blaine softly. Blaine returned the gesture, moving his lips over Kurt's, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth, instantaneously changing the kissing from soft and loving to passionate and needy. Kurt pushed Blaine's shoulder so that he was on his back and Kurt could now straddle him, creating a better angle for the men to deepen the kiss. Blaine was just licking behind Kurt's teeth and while Kurt was pushing his hips down, when they heard a short knock at the door. Instead of jumping away from each other, Kurt pulled back, gave Blaine another chaste kiss and jumped off him, settling next to him on the bed before yelling, "Come in"

"You guys aren't having sex, right?" Effie asked tenetively through the door.

Blaine snickered and Kurt looked a bit mortified.

"No, Effie, we're not doing anything, you can come in." Kurt said with a huff.

Effie slowly opened the door, only stepping in a few steps, and looking at the ground—a cue to Kurt that she had something important to say, something she was insecure about.

"Eff?" Her head shot up at the question of her name and she smiled at her father.

"Yah?"

"Do you wanna come sit?" Kurt asked, patting a spot on the bed close to him.

After thinking for a moment, Effie began walking towards the bed, sitting at the foot Indian style, looking at both men. After a minute of silence, she spoke up.

"So this is new…" Effie laughed awkwardly, playing with a thread on the bedspread.

Kurt decided against saying anything, opting to hear his daughter get out what she needed to say. To his surprise, she looked up at Blaine when she began speaking.

"So my dad and I we've always had this thing. Well, when I was little he wasn't around a lot cause of work and stuff, so once and a while he would come to check up on me, and by that I mean that he would come into my room and we'd talk for an hour or however long just about life and problems…and sometimes we'd cry and we'd laugh, but I guess, well that's not really the point," she stuttered, "Anyway, I like you Blaine. I like you a lot, and I like how you make my dad feel. And I'm," she started as she took a quick glance at her father and then back down at the bedspread, "I just think that including you on some of those conversations might be nice. You know, if you're up for it. Just…a way for us to get acquainted, I guess," she looked back up at the men and shrugged as if to hide just how much this meant to her, "Just a suggestion."

Kurt smiled as he saw Effie look up hesitantly, so proud that she felt comfortable enough to come and propose this.

"Effie," Blaine started as he looked into the girl's eyes, "Of course, I would love that," Blaine smiled, eyes glistening with unshed tears. He opened his arms and after a second, Effie crawled over and returned his embrace, quickly reaching over to Kurt to join in.

"Group hug! I love group hugs!" Blaine exclaimed while still in the embrace, causing the two others to begin laughing.

**A/N: New update-yayy! I know I'm terrible at this updating thing, senior year is just kicking my ass. Yay AP classes and applying to college! Anyway, thanks for reviews and PMs as per usual, and please hit me up with some more of that if it so pleases you. Suggestions are always welcome. Writer's block is not a fun thing. K bye!**


	19. Chapter 19

Long days of cuddles, ice cream runs with Ollie, sketching for the upcoming winter line, and soaking in the bliss of domesticity turned into weeks for Kurt and Blaine. Even the fights over things like using a coaster on the coffee table or forgetting to pick Ollie up at a friend's house or how to handle Effie's increasingly noticeable hickeys:

"Blaine, seriously? This is like the second time I've asked you today! That coffee table doesn't take well to liquid stains!"

"It's just water, Kurt. Water can't hurt anything."

"Yes, but water can just happen to hurt my expensive oak coffee table, so, please just use a coaster"

"Well, maybe if there were coasters somewhere around here, this wouldn't be a problem at all!"

"They're right over there, Blaine. I'm sorry you have to get up and walk two feet to go get them."

"Sassy today, are we? Well me and my drink will have fun in the bedroom where no one can nag us about an expensive oak coffee table."

…..

"Kurt, where is Ollie? He isn't in his room or the playroom."

"I don't know, wasn't he at Aiden's house today?"

"Yes…he was but he was picked up at 2."

"Okay if he's picked up then where is he?"

"You didn't pick him up? Kurt, it's 5! His parents are going to think we are insane and irresponsible and-"

"I wasn't supposed to pick him up, Blaine. I've been working all day, and I would've remembered—"

"Well clearly you don't remember because it was your job! I had a meeting until 4, how was I supposed to—"

"Know what, maybe we should just go get him instead of arguing about it, because we're just making it worse."

"Is that admitting that you're wrong."

"Honey, you know I don't do that."

….

"Hickeys, Blaine, hickeys. I don't think you understand what I'm saying. The girl is fifteen years old and getting hickeys."

"Don't you think you're overreacting just a little bit?"

"HICKEYS, Blaine. Those are something you get when some boy tries to bite my daughters flesh off!"

"I'm well aware with how hickeys are formed, sweetie."

"You're taking this way to lightly. Hickeys mean that they're making out and making out leads to groping and sex and idontwanttohavethesextalkwit hher."

"Okay, okay, I think we just need to calm down. Just because your daughter has hickeys does not mean she's having sex, okay? I was getting hickey's at fifteen, Kurt, and I turned out just fine."

"Well, she could at least have the initiative to use a scarf to cover them up with fashion."

These bouts almost always ended in lots of makeup sex, so the men were nothing if not happy with the new developments. It was the honeymoon phase in a sense, like playing house.

It was only when summer started to draw to a close that the real world began to sink in and everyone had to get back to working full days, which meant less time together. Ollie's birthday was swiftly approaching and Kurt was working hard to give him the best party an almost five-year-old could ask for, even though Blaine told him numerous times that Ollie could be content with a party at the dog park with an ice cream stand or something simple, but Kurt wouldn't budge no matter how much real work he had piling up. If Kurt was being honest with himself, he desperately wanted to impress Ollie, wanted to make him feel like he could find a trustworthy adult figure in Kurt, maybe something close to a father-figure one day, though he was careful not to set his sights to high or overstep. For now, he just wanted to see that kid's thousand-watt smile.

On top of that, Effie had an audition for Alvin Ailey's youth company at the beginning of September so if she was at home, all bets were that she was in the dining room practicing a turn combination or using the chairs as a barre, making sure her tendus were perfect. Oh, and if you tried to talk to her, it was not a pretty sight. Blaine learned that the hard way and avoided her like Kurt knew to whenever she was in the dining room. Kurt was well aware of the real reason that Effie was constantly snapping, being distant, and seeking attention: Eli's birthday was coming up and every time Kurt tried to broach the subject, Effie would deflect by claiming she needed to practice or she was tired or she had a date with Cole. Needless to say, Kurt was attempting to give the girl her space, but he soon discovered that toeing the line between being a supportive father and not overbearing was extremely difficult.

Blaine was starting to get settled at his Columbia office, attending a few faculty meetings here and there to prepare for the incoming students at the end of August. When he wasn't setting up his office there or meeting colleagues, he was searching and interviewing at schools for Ollie, knowing that he was fighting a merciless battle in attempting to transfer within the New York City private school circuit so late in the game. He really wanted Oliver in a Montessori school where he could be more of a free-spirit and have immense creative opportunities and support from the faculty, while Kurt was supplying the argument for a real private school, trying to do so non-confrontationally so as not to overstep, because those were where all of his connections lay. But, Blaine was adamant about a school that was not going to thrust Ollie into the world of New York elitist society—one that was all about money and clothes and summer homes, and that was not Blaine and it certainly wasn't Ollie.

This is how Blaine found himself sitting in the waiting room of the school with Ollie, both in their suit jackets and slacks, Blaine with a blue and red bowtie and Ollie with his whale bowtie that he had insisted upon wearing. Blaine's right leg was nervously moving up and down and Ollie stopped playing with his blocks, turned around, and gently placed his hand on Blaine's leg, effectively stopping the movement. All Blaine could offer his son was a weak smile that Ollie took as good enough as he turned around and continued playing. This school—Metropolitan Montessori—was by far Blaine's favorite of the schools he'd read about: it was six blocks from Kurt's, well Kurt's and his, apartment, so Blaine or Kurt could easily walk him to school on their ways to work; it was a K-6 school so Ollie could stay there for a while and make lasting friendships and they wouldn't have to apply to new schools for another few years; and it had gotten great reviews online. He just really hoped that Ollie liked it here and that the admissions team liked them. As Blaine looked at his son, speaking to himself in hushed tones, playing with the blocks he thought, _how could they not_.

…

As Blaine bounded through the door to the apartment with Ollie in tow after the interview, he couldn't help but jump up and down a little bit when he smelled that Kurt was making homemade pizza, and mentally reminded himself to reward him later tonight. He toed into the kitchen, slipping his arms around his man and resting his chin on his shoulder, planting small kisses on the inside of Kurt's neck, causing the older man to laugh.

"Someone had a good interview."

"Hmmm," Blaine started as he continued nuzzling into Kurt's neck, "it was okay. I can't tell for sure, but Ollie was his usual charming self," then, imitating Ollie, " 'Hi, I'm Oliver Anderson and I'm four. Well almost five. What's your name?'" Kurt threw his head back and gave a hearty laugh, giving Blaine more room to explore his neck, "I hate to tell that kid that the cuteness will wear off and he won't be able to rely on it forever."

"I don't think cuteness wears off on Andersons. I think it's a lifelong thing."

"Awww, are you saying I'm cute."

"No, I was talking about your son and Cooper. No, you are definitely not cute," Kurt lilted in a teasing tone.

Blaine gave his best puppy dog pout, "Not Cooper. Call anyone cute but Cooper."

"You're right, Cooper's not cute. He is the hottest man in North America after all," Kurt sing-songed.

"Fuck," Blaine whined, turning Kurt around and pulling him into a deep kiss. Pulling back and seeing the affect he has on Kurt, Blaine muttered, "hottest man in North America my ass," causing Kurt to laugh again and pull him into another deep kiss, this one more languid. That is, until they hear someone clearing their throat in the doorway, causing them to break apart and turn their heads in question.

"Are you guys gonna do that like all the time now? Cause you could at least keep it to the bedroom," Effie said as she opened the fridge and pulled out a Diet Coke, staring down her father.

"Know what else that could be kept to the bedroom, Evelyn?" Effie cringed as she heard her father using her full name, "make out sessions. And that's not happening when everyone walking around the Upper West Side can see those hickey's you're sporting clear as day."

Effie's hand subconsciously lifted to cover her neck, her eyes going wide like a deer caught in headlights, before turning towards the door and storming out of the room like the diva who fathered her.

After she was gone, Kurt turned to Blaine with an anxious expression, "I went too far, didn't I?"

Blaine looked at the other man sympathetically before shrugging his shoulders, "I honestly don't know. I mean, you have the right as her father to point those out and talk to her about it. Did you have to be so sassy and embarrass her? No, probably not, but sassiness is in your DNA. It can't be helped." Blaine explained as he hugged Kurt. "Honestly, don't worry about it too much. I think you guys should talk about it eventually, but give her a little while to cool down."

…..

Dinner was delicious, as Blaine had expected, with a dash of awkwardness in Effie's attempt at ignoring seemingly everything there. She even took to texting at one point, which Kurt quickly reprimanded, knowing she was just trying to spite him, but the conflict was no more than usual. Blaine guessed it would be resolved and hugged out within the next few days. What Blaine had not guessed, though, was Effie's appearance in Ollie's room as Blaine was reading him a goodnight story. When he heard her footsteps, he looked up from the book and smiled, "Your dad is in the den working on his sketches."

"No, I know, I was wondering if I could talk to you after you were done…here."

"Yes, sure of course, the story's almost over anyway, isn't it Ol?" That caught Oliver's attention.

"What?! Already! That was a really short story tonight, daddy."

"No, Ol, it was actually the same amount as usual. You always think the stories are too short."

"Well, maybe you should tell longer stories." Effie chuckled at that and Blaine noticed that she was still standing in the door. She realized she had been heard and then asked, "Do you want to come to my room when you're done, please?"

"Yes, of course." And with that, Effie was gone.

"Ooh, Daddy are you in trouble with Effie? She's scary when she's mad." That mad Blaine laugh out loud.

"No, I certainly hope I'm not in trouble. And Effie is scary when she's mad, isn't she?"

"Yah, but I know that she's really funny on the inside and that she still likes me and she never gets mad at me so I'm good."

…

A few minutes later, Blaine was knocking on Effie's slightly ajar door, pushing it open slowly. Effie was lying on her bed in her sweatpants and short sleeved American Apparel crop top reading what looked to be the newest Vogue.

"Hey."

Effie looked up from her magazine, "Hi."

They looked at each other for a moment before Effie remembered that she was the one to invite him here. She dogeared her page in the magazine, set it down on her bed and turned to fully face Blaine.

"I'm not in trouble, am I?" Blaine asked teasingly. "Ollie said that you're scary when you're angry and I would have to agree."

Effie chuckled slightly, "No, actually, I just wanted to ask you a question."

At Blaine's raised eyebrow, she continued.

"Well, my dad—my dad, the one who's dead, not my dad who you're dating—wow, that was awkward," Blaine chuckled at Effie's fumbling, "anyway, _his_ birthday is, or would've been, I guess, on Monday and okay so after my grandma died when dad was young, and grandpa remarried, dad said he took grandma Carole to the gravesite of his mom and that it helped him because it was kind of like they were both in the same place and so it no longer seemed like Carole was trying to replace his mom, and…well, I was just wondering if you wanted to do that? It's papa's birthday on Monday, like I said, and I was wondering if you wanted to come?"

Effie looked expectantly at Blaine, who was awestruck, and seemed to take his silence negatively.

"I know it would be awkward for you maybe, and I didn't want to feel like I was making you do this or trying to make you feel bad, I—"

"Effie."

Hearing her name, she shut up and listened to Blaine.

"I would love to. And I am honored that you would ask me to do this. That's incredibly brave and if it was me I don't know if I'd be strong enough to do that, so, thank you."

Effie smiled at his answer and looked around for a moment before locking eyes with Blaine and smiling a bit.

"I'm gonna hug you now, but it'll be quick," she said as she hopped off the bed and took the older man into her arms for a few moments before letting him go and going back to her magazine.

As Blaine walked out of the room he smiled to himself, touched by Effie's over, but also amazed to think of how far she's come in the last few months in accepting him into her life. Because he would be honored to be a part of it in any way possible.


	20. Chapter 20

Blaine had decided to leave work early on the Monday of Eli's birthday, knowing that Kurt would be taking the whole day off from work, and wanting to give him and his daughter time to mourn and remember together, without having to worry about anyone else interfering. Oliver was more than happy to visit his friend Max from his old school for the day; Blaine had made an attempt on Saturday to explain why Kurt and Effie may be sad the next few days, without getting too in depth.

"Ollie, you know how when your friend Mia's mommy died last year?"

"Yah," Oliver shrugged while playing with his transformers.

"Well you know how Mia's family was really sad? Because they would never get to see her mom again?"

"Yah…" Ollie now threw one of his action figures off of the table onto the ground and had the other one jump on top of him.

Blaine rolled his eyes and smiled for a moment, leaning down and putting his hands over his son's. "Ollie, this is important so can you listen for two seconds? Then you can play until dinner."

Ollie looked up, thinking for a second, then nodding, putting down his toys and looking up at his father. Blaine patted his lap and Ollie happily scampered over and plopped down, making Blaine let out a grunt while the young boy got comfortable. He turned to his side and started playing with his dad's curls.

"Daddy why are we talking about Mia?"

"Well I just know that you remember how her mommy died and how that was really sad. Do you remember?"

Ollie just nodded.

"Do you know what happened to Effie's dad?"

Ollie smiled brightly and exclaimed, "Kurtie is Effie's dad!"

Blaine laughed at his son's pride and then thought for a moment. "Yes, Kurt is Effie's dad, but Effie also had another dad."

"Like how I had another dad?"

Blaine looked like a deer in headlights for a moment, trying to think of the best way to go about this conversation, not ever thinking it would be happening this soon.

"Kind of. Except Effie's dad was her dad for a really long time. For 14 years."

Ollie's eyes went wide. "Wow, that's a lot."

Blaine chuckled, "It is a lot buddy, and that's why it was really sad. Effie's other dad died, Ollie."

Ollie didn't say anything for a while, seeming to be mulling over the newfound information in his head. His hand stilled in Blaine's hair and he turned to sit fully around in his father's lap. When Ollie didn't answer for a while, Blaine started pushing his hair out of his face. "Buddy?"

"She must be really sad."

Needless to say, after that Blaine steered the conversation into happier territory, content that his son had understood what was happening, but not wanting to expose him to too much at such a young age. He wasn't getting any work done today, and had to force himself to stay in his office and play on his computer while he counted down the minutes until he could go home. He knew the he needed to give Kurt space to mourn sometimes, but it was just so damn hard. He finally shut his computer, resigning that it was not helping him to just sit in his office, so he decided to get up and walk around, get acquainted with the campus a bit more.

Columbia was like a New England paradise in a concrete jungle. Walk around and you would think you're at any other elite university campus, and then leave the confines of the buildings and you can find restaurants on every corner and subway stations every few blocks. It made Blaine recall the first time he had been up to visit it's campus, November of his senior year in high school, when he came up to visit Kurt. He had lucked out and been able to come up and get on a campus tour and information session, imagining his life that next year, going to Columbia and living with Kurt in New York.

Blaine was always somewhat at a loss of what to think when it came to that part of his life. He'd always wonder what it would've been like if he had came here, moved to New York, lived with Kurt. They'd probably still be together, but he certainly wouldn't be the person he is today. And neither would Kurt for that matter.

His thoughts were quickly thrust out of his mind, though, when he glanced at his watch and saw it was already half past twelve, and quickly changed his course, heading for the subway station.

xxxxxx

He came home to find Effie on the couch watching House Hunters International with somewhat of a catatonic look on her face, as if she wasn't really paying any attention to what was happening on the TV. Blaine smiled at her as he put his satchel down by the door, and Effie gave him a head nod and a sort of half smile back, something Blaine saw as a huge accomplishment.

"Dad said we'd probably be leaving around two. That okay?" She asked, not moving from her seat on the couch.

"Of course," Blaine said, walking over behind the couch and watching the TV for a few seconds.

"He's in his room," she suddenly said, "I think he wants to talk to you."

Blaine smiled to himself at the gesture and as he started to walk towards the stairs he yelled, "They take the third house."

What he didn't see was Effie's smile grow a little bit bigger as she went onto watch that Blaine was in fact, correct in his recollection.

Blaine trudged up the stairs quickly and made his way into the master bedroom down the end of the second hall, seeing it partially ajar, and pushing it open slowly to find Kurt on his side, still in his sweatpants and a ratty old t-shirt that Blaine didn't recognize, not facing the door. He was curled in on himself and Blaine couldn't tell if he was sleeping or not, so he quietly took off his shoes and settled into bed beside his lover.

He moved his chest close to Kurt's back and wrapped his arms around the taller man, hearing his better half sigh in contentment and squeeze back, alerting him that he was awake.

"Kurt?"

"I'm okay," is all he said back, snuggling into Blaine further.

"Are you?" Blaine asked, a bit skeptical.

Kurt was silent and they both basked in the moment for a second before Kurt turned around in Blaine's arms and looked at him intently. Blaine knew to hold his tongue and wait for the other man to talk, because it was clear he had something important to say. Blaine took his hand from where it was resting at Kurt's waist and brought it up to his hair, brushing it out of his face and then resting it on his cheek. That seemed to give Kurt the courage to talk.

"I don't want you to think that you're second to him," Kurt stated, quietly and almost frightened of what Blaine's reaction would be.

When Blaine didn't answer, Kurt decided that was his cue to keep going: "Because it's different. I love you, Blaine. You. And after Eli died it took me a while to even be able to start to accept that I was allowed to have fun again, let alone love. And," Kurt smiled and started to play with Blaine's hair, "You make it so I don't feel guilty for loving again. You feel like this gift sent from God, a second chance. And I just…" Kurt paused to think of how to word his next thought, "I just don't want you to ever think that I'm replacing him with you. Because he can't be replace and you're better than that. You're not somebody's replacement, you're your own self and I just hope you don't get sad or angry that I'm still mourning his death…" Kurt trailed off.

Blaine just looked at the man with all the love he possessed, and started rubbing his thumb against Kurt's cheek where his hand had been resting, "I know," Blaine smiled, "I can't imagine what it was like losing someone you've spent half of your life loving. All I can say is that I don't ever want you to feel guilty or worried about how I will feel about you still loving and mourning him. You will always love him. But you know what?" Blaine smiled big and moved his hand over Kurt's heart. "This thing is big enough to love more than one person."

Blaine leaned in and kissed the other man, just a short brushing of the lips, not wanting to initiate anything more while Kurt was so sensitive.

"I love you," Blaine said, still holding his hand over Kurt's heart, then leaning in and snaking his arms around his back, pulling his lover him and holding him tight.

"I love you, too. So much. Thank you." And that was all that needed to be said.

**A/N: My excuse is that I'm awful. Also that I'm a high school senior. Good news: ALL MY APPLICATIONS ARE IN. Which means I can spend more time writing on my stories, which is wayyyy more fun. Okay so comment and review please. Do you guys really want the cemetery scene or should I skip over it (aka do you feel as if the grief thing has been done?). Anyway, penny for your thoughts. **


	21. Chapter 21

Going to Eli's gravesite had been easier for Blaine than he had thought. It was certainly awkward at the beginning, standing there waiting for direction while watching Kurt sit down in front of the grave and begin to speak in low tones, reaching out a bit to trace along the writing. Blaine felt like he had been intruding in an intensely intimate moment. That was, until Kurt looked up at him with a smile and asked him to come over and patted the ground next to him, scootching over to make room. He looked eerily content, and Blaine didn't know what he had been expecting but it wasn't this. He sat down next to his lover and pulled his knees up to his chest, glad he hadn't worn the nice shorts he had originally planed on, and just staring ahead at the words on the cement memorial:

_Elliot James Parker_

_Loving Husband and Father_

"_It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. _

_Rather we should thank God that such men lived."_

Blaine didn't know how much time had passed before Kurt's voice broke through the silence: "Eli, this is Blaine," Kurt began, again tracing the letters of his name, "I know you had heard a few stories about him…" Kurt looked at Blaine from where he had been leaning over and smiled, all of a sudden making Blaine feel inexplicably at peace with the moment. "He makes me really happy," he said, still looking at Blaine, "I love him. So much it hurts sometimes," he turned around back and scooted a little closer to the grave.

"So, I supposed a proper introduction was due. I know you would love him, Eli. He's smart and funny, and you guys have the same sense of humor. Not to mention you both act like children most of the time."

Kurt heard a chuckle from behind him and turn around, giving Blaine a look to try and encourage him to talk, to not be so timid. Blaine readjusted how he was sitting on the ground and cleared his throat, looking at Kurt and then back at the grave, mulling over his words for a little while before daring to speak.

"I've heard a lot about you…um," Blaine smiled a bit at his own awkwardness, "Good things, of course," he chuckled. He felt Kurt slipping his arm around his waist, pulling him closer, and encouraging him to continue. "Kurt makes me really happy, and I'm just so glad that I've found someone with such a big heart, big enough to love so many people. And, I…I want to thank you for taking such good care of him and loving him so deeply while you were alive, because he deserves so much, and I hope I can give him what he deserves…" Blaine's voice trailed off then as a tear fell down his cheek and he quickly wiped it away on his shirt sleeve, laughing a bit.

"Sorry," he mumbled to Kurt, smiling. Kurt just brushed Blaine's hair out of his face in a caring gesture he had done so many times before and cuddled into his side and whispered, "I love you," into his ear.

They sat there for a few more minutes, content in silence, until they began to hear footsteps coming up behind them. Effie had hung back in the car for a few minutes, on the phone with her grandmother, which Blaine knew was a creative way to give Kurt and him some alone time to get acquainted with the situation.

"Hi, dad," Effie said quietly as she sat down to Kurt's right, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Hi, Eff."

She responded by looking forward for a bit, before surprising both men by speaking in a jovial tone.

"I know what you're thinking, Papa, how did I ever agree to this situation? Well, you think Kurt's 'please' face was bad? Wait until you see Blaine's puppy dog pout."

That had been almost a week ago and Blaine was still somewhat riding on the high of such a successful experience. It had been so easy to talk once Effie had broken the ice, easy for Blaine to forget for a moment that he was talking to a piece of stone that represented everything that Kurt's life had revolved around before he had met Blaine. Well, met him again anyway. As Blaine rounded the corner of 79th and Columbus, on his way to pick up sushi for dinner, he thought about how little he actually knew about Eli and his death. He knew that the man was a high-profile business attorney, and that he had grown up just outside of the city. He knew that he and Kurt had met at a bar a few months after he had broken up with Blaine. He knew that he died of cancer and that he had been diagnosed about six months before his actual death. That was really the full extent of his knowledge and Blaine didn't know whether it was a genuine curiosity that left him wanting more information, or if it was just the knowledge that the more Kurt told him, the more he trusted him.

Either way he knew he wanted to wait until Kurt was ready, because if there was one thing he knew for sure is that pushing in the wrong ways could lead to him sleeping on the couch for a few nights. Anyway, tonight was about Kurt and Blaine not about work, or kids, or past lovers. They hadn't had much time alone in the past month or so and luckily Oliver and Effie were both sleeping over at friends' houses today, and would not be home until late morning tomorrow, which gave the two men more than twelve hours of alone time. Needless to say, there would not be much sleeping tonight.

Blaine entered the restaurant and collected his order with a smile, not staying for small talk like he usually did. He walked briskly the eight blocks back to the apartment, thanking god that they didn't live closer to midtown where there would be so many people on the sidewalks that he would have to push aside in his haste.

He nodded his head at the doorman and then to the concierge as he past the lobby and turned right towards the elevators, tapping his foot waiting for the doors to open. When he finally opened the door to the apartment and made a beeline to the kitchen to put the food down, he called for Kurt, thinking he was in the living room, but not getting a response. He called out again, a little louder this time, still getting nothing, before finally leaving the kitchen to find that he wasn't in the living room. Confused, knowing that he had told Kurt he would be home at 6:45, and it was almost 7, he bounded up the stairs, past Effie and Ollie's room, when he finally heard the shower running with the distinct lilt of Kurt's singing voice, cutting through it. Blaine couldn't tell what the song was exactly—the lyrics were blurred quite a bit by the sound of the water rushing, but he could hear the remnants of a melody. He smiled to himself, realizing that he hadn't heard Kurt sing, like really sing, since high school.

When he finally enters the master bedroom and reaches the door to the bathroom that is slightly ajar, he suddenly recognizes the tune of "Defying Gravity" pouring over the sound of the water. He smiles bigger and pushes open the door quietly, knowing that Kurt can't see him because the door is not in view from the shower door. He listens to Kurt as he strips off his shirt and then his pants, tripping a big as he pulls his socks off. He finally pulls his black boxer-briefs down and pads towards the shower, opening the door and laughing at the exclamation "Oh shit!" coming from Kurt before he trips back and knocks over the shampoo. Blaine steps into the shower and kisses Kurt's cheek.

"Hi, to you too," with an amused lilt still in his voice.

"Fuck, you scared the shit out of me, Blaine," Kurt said, breathlessly, with his hand still covering his heart.

Blaine chuckled, "Sorry," and kissed Kurt on the nose. "Can I help?"

Kurt smiled, his heartbeat beginning to return to normal, "Yah, can you grab the conditioner please?"

Blaine smiled knowingly as he glanced over at the conditioner that was laying on the shelf behind Kurt, seeing that he would have to completely bend around Kurt to get to it. "Hmmm," he said as he stepped a bit closer to his lover, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have ulterior motives."

Blaine reached around Kurt's back as their chests made contact and grabbed the bottle quickly backing away and smirking, opening it up and squirting it on his hand. As he moved closer to Kurt again, and put his hands in his hair, Kurt laughed, "Hey, you're the one who got in the shower with me."

"You were naked and wet," Blaine said as he continued to massage Kurt's scalp, and move his hands up and down the strands of hair, hearing Kurt sigh in contentment, "How was I ever supposed to resist that?"

"You're not," Kurt teased, relishing in the feeling of Blaine's hands in his hair, "It's how I keep you around."

Blaine stuck out his tongue and finally pulled his hands out of Kurt's hair only to push him under the spray and tilt his head back, washing the conditioner out of his hair. He needed reached over Kurt's body, meaning the two men were quite close, bare skin brushing skin, all a tease. Kurt shut his eyes and let Blaine do all the work, completely relaxing into his embrace. When Blaine was finally satisfied that all the product was out, he moved Kurt out of the spray and waited for him to open his eyes.

"You're good at that," Kurt said in a soft voice, "I think you missed a good opportunity to be a hair dresser."

Blaine just smiled and kissed him chastely, pulling back before they could open their mouths. When Kurt whined a bit, Blaine just chuckled.

"I'm not finished yet, I still have to wash your body."

"Do you now?" Kurt raised his eyebrow, teasingly.

"Mhmm. It's quite important actually," Blaine explained as he turned around and bent down a bit to grab the body wash, causing Kurt to stare at the way his ass was shown off in that position. "Can't have you with clean hair and a dirty body. That would be a wasted shower."

Blaine was turned around again, back with a handful of the white dove body wash.

"You know that's what loofas are for." Kurt said matter-of-factly, looking amusedly at Blaine's hand.

"Yes, but where would the fun in that be?" Blaine smiled as he took a step towards his lover and spread the soap between both hands, before placing them down on his shoulders and rubbing them there for a bit. He felt Kurt relax under his touches, bit by bit, minute by minute, all the pressure and emotions of the last week disappearing for a while; he was in a place where it was just Blaine's touches and the warm water running over him. And it was amazing.

Blaine made his way from Kurt's shoulders, down past his collarbone to his pecs where he began massaging and occasionally brushing a nipple. It slowly became more deliberate, as Blaine began paying less and less attention to the skin around his nipples, and more to just the soft nubs. He brushed over them back and fourth a few times before taking one in each and hand and rolling them around causing Kurt's head to fall back against the tiled wall, emitting a breathless moan. Blaine began to pinch them a little harder, not enough to hurt, but just enough to make them hard under the warm water. He bent his head down and kissed each one once, before rubbing his hands up and down his chest.

Kurt was surprised when he no longer felt Blaine's hands on him, and when he opened his eyes in curiosity, he found the man quickly squirting more soap into his hand, turning around with a smile. He briefly looked down to see that Kurt was sporting a semi-erect cock, which made Blaine's smirk even more prominent.

"Can you turn around for me? I wanna do your back."

Kurt nodded and turned around, and Blaine quickly closed the distance between the two and started rubbing his hands up and down Kurt's back, swirling circles and massaging a bit. He finally passed his lower back and his hands settled on Kurt's ass, massaging gently at first, just working the soap in, before starting to push and press harder and more fervently. Kurt moaned and fell forwards into the tiles, catching himself with his hands, which left him in position that gave Blaine a particularly good view.

Blaine continued to knead his ass, occasionally sweeping his hands up and down his back, before running a thumb lightly down his crack, just long enough for Kurt to shiver. Blaine used the remaining soap in his hand and ran it up and down Kurt's crack, rubbing it in slowly, causing Kurt's hips to begin to rotate slightly. Blaine laughed at the high-pitched whine his lover emitted when his thumb circled his hole and then as quickly, disappeared from his body all together.

The next thing Kurt knew Blaine was snaking his hands around his waist, pulling him backwards until Blaine was up against the opposite tile wall from the showerhead, and Kurt's back was pressed up against Blaine's entire front. The older man relaxed back into the embrace, fitting his head on Blaine's shoulder and turning it slightly to kiss his neck. Blaine smiled as his hands moved up and down Kurt's stomach, each time getting a bit closer to Kurt's now completely hard cock.

Blaine finally cupped Kurt and heard the taller man gasp and buck into his hand a bit.

"Someone's excited," Blaine said cheekily, not moving his hand from where he was cupping Kurt, but kissing up and down the side of his neck, taking his earlobe into his mouth and sucking.

"I can say the same to you," Kurt said, a bit more breathlessly, as he bucked his hips back a bit so that his ass gave Blaine's fully erect cock friction. Blaine just chuckled and brought his other hand down Kurt's chest, finally reaching under where his right hand was gently stroking his lover's cock, and taking his balls into his left.

Kurt moaned and bit his lip, his head falling even further back onto Blaine's shoulder, giving his mouth full access to his neck. As Blaine peppered kisses up the pale, long column, he began to speed up his ministrations south of the border, causing Kurt to become more vocal and his hips to move with greater rotations. Blaine subconsciously began to grind his cock into Kurt's ass in tandem with his strokes, and soon enough, they were both close to the edge.

"Baby, I'm…oh god, I'm close," Kurt breathed out, hips now moving to the rhythm of Blaine's stroking and grinding.

"Me too," Blaine accentuated with a particularly hard thrust, "mmm I want you to come first."

Blaine kissed up Kurt's neck once again and bit down in the space right beneath his ear. Kurt gasped and bucked into Blaine's hand, and that only gave Blaine motivation to go faster.

"So sexy when you come, babe," Blaine whispered in Kurt's ear, before licking around the shell, "I got you. So beautiful."

Kurt whined and swung his arms around Blaine's back, giving him leverage to buck into Blaine's fist, enough so that he was coming after two more strokes.

"That's it, so sexy," Blaine whispered, along with other sweet nothing, milking Kurt out for a few more seconds, collecting all of his cum on his hand. Kurt turned his head a bit and Blaine smiled at the blissful expression the man had on his face, and kissed him passionately. Blaine was the one to pull back, bringing his hand still slick with Kurt's cum up to his mouth and licking it clean.

"Blaine, I can't get hard again already," Kurt groaned in frustration, "I'm certainly not a teenager anymore."

Blaine smiled and just continued to lick his fingers. Kurt looked down at Blaine's very obvious erection and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Up for something?" Blaine asked.

"Always," Kurt smiled. "Where do you want me?"

Blaine smiled, teeth and all this time, before maneuvering Kurt to lean over with his hands against the opposite wall, and his ass out. Blaine began to stroke his cock, moaning.

"Kurt, I'm already so close."

He began stroking faster, playing with Kurt's ass a bit, but mostly just focusing on getting himself past the tipping point. Kurt's cock was definitely make a valiant attempt at hardening after hearing the noises Blaine was emitting and knowing what was about to happen. He shivered in anticipation.

"Fuck, so sexy."

Blaine finally tipped over the edge, and was sure to pay enough attention to aim his cock to shoot perfectly over Kurt's ass, emptying his entire load over the plump, round cheeks. Blaine kept moaning Kurt's name and expletives as he milked himself out, stopping when he was finally satisfied to admire the sight before him.

Before Kurt knew it, he felt a wet, warm pressure on the globes of his ass, which he quickly identified as Blaine's tongue, and moaned, banging his head against the cool tiles. Blaine licked both cheeks clean before moving onto his crack, licking up and down it a few times, getting deeper with each lick, relishing in the loud moans coming from his lover. Blaine loved nothing more than the taste of himself, mixed with the taste of Kurt, and he couldn't help but want to share the feeling, so as he concluded that Kurt was completely clean, he turned the taller man around and pulled him into a deep kiss, thrusting his tongue into his mouth, giving Kurt the taste of the two of them mixed together.

As Kurt pulled back and put his forehead to Blaine's, the shorter man began to laugh a bit and Kurt sent him a questioning glance.

"What's so funny, Cassanova?"

Blaine answered him by reaching around and turning off the steady stream of water, that had valiantly remained warm through their entire encounter.

"How much you wanna bet that the entire building will be without hot water for the next few days?" Blaine smirked.

Kurt laughed, and leaned in to kiss Blaine again, this time shorter and just a soft brush of the lips.

"It was so worth it though," he said as he opened the shower door and grabbed a towel from the rack to the right.

Blaine watched his lover dry off quietly, admiring the long curves of his body, the way he moved so elegantly, even in such mundane tasks.

"I love you," Blaine said, stepping out of the shower and kissing Kurt, before grabbing a towel as well to begin drying off.

Kurt smiled. "Love you, too."

**A/N: Yay Smut. I know it's been lots of plot the past few chapters so I decided to put in a smut-filled chapter to keep everyone happy. Thanks for the awesome comments and reviews—they gave me inspiration to keep writing and to get another chapter posted so quickly. So, keep them coming please! I'm more motivated that way. **


	22. Chapter 22

It's almost five weeks into the school year until Kurt is able to visit Blaine at his office for the first time. He had been able to get out of work early today—being the boss does give him the leisure to do such things—because, well, he needed a break from the sassy and arrogant fashionistas that surround him everyday (even if he, admittedly, is one) and could think of no better way to get his mind off things than to go and surprise his…boyfriend, to surprise his boyfriend at work.

Boyfriend didn't seem to be the right word these days for Kurt. I mean, he and Blaine were certainly dating, but he wasn't in his twenties anymore (pushing forties is more like it) and "boyfriend" seems to him such a juvenile term. He and Blaine were so much more than that when they were in high school, and certainly are, now. Still though, Kurt could never stand the word "partners"—it always made him scoff and roll his eyes.

It's like on House Hunters International when they have two guys looking for a house and they're like "partners, Will and Jack" and you're always asking yourself: are they business partners, or partners in crime…or what? He even looked up "euphemisms for boyfriend" and all the help he got on that front was "significant other, partner (eye roll), and date" which were all pretty lame, and "boytoy, fuckbuddy, and meal ticket" which were just…no, just no.

Lover was always an option—he and Blaine often used it as a term of endearment towards each other, but he could honestly never imagine him introducing himself as Blaine's "lover" to anyone.

Kurt was thrown out of his reverie when he finally exited the subway station, needing to step off to the side of the busy street and find his sunglasses in the side pocket of his bag.

Blaine was packing his stuff up after class, having let the students out early, as, for most of them, it was their last class on a Friday, and therefore it was all he could do to keep at least some of their attention. He shuffled all of his papers together and dropped them into his satchel, shutting his computer and then zipping everything up. Just as he was about to get out of his chair and head over to his office, he heard a few footsteps, looking up for the first time since his students had left. He couldn't quite see who it was at first, but once he did, he was surprised to say the least.

Okay, maybe surprised is a vast understatement.

There, standing at 6'2, looking as handsome as ever, was a man that Blaine had never thought he'd have to face again. He gulped, but didn't break eye contact, patting his phone in his pocket just to make sure he knew where it was, and opened his mouth to speak, willing his vocal chords to work.

"Ryan?"

The man just looked back at him with an unreadable expression. His lack of response gave Blaine a little more fire under his belly.

"What are you doing here?" Blaine asked, with his most exasperated and intimidating tone.

"Blaine, I…"

When he didn't continue right away, Blaine stood up and raised his eyebrow.

"Yes?"

He saw the man wince at his biting tone and decided to take it down a notch, now that it was clear that the older man was not looking for a fight.

"I…Blaine, I…" he swallowed three times, closed his eyes and then looked back to Blaine, "I'm sorry." Blaine didn't answer, just opened his mouth a few times without speaking, which seemed to spur the man on.

"I'm so fucking sorry, Blaine. I—I, well, I've been seeing a therapist, since…well, since our break up and I'm in a better place now and I realize how wrong what I did was…" he looked towards his ex-husband in a look Blaine could only describe as desperation.

"Our break up? You're calling what happened between us a fucking break up? You hit me. Fuck, Ryan, you almost hit my fucking child!" Blaine retorted, the memories this discussion bringing up, only serving to add fire to the flame. "You accused me of cheating on you and then you attacked me! That's not how breakups usually work." Blaine was out of breath now, leaning back against his desk and looking at Ryan expectantly. The other man was just looking at Blaine with a sad look on his face.

"I know that sorry's not going to be enough for you and I accepted that a long time ago, I just…I wanted you to know that I'm getting help and that I…I regret what I did to you and Oliver every minute of every day." Ryan's arms were circling his stomach, his posture inverted and clearly uncomfortable. "I'm so sorry…" he whispered, barely enough for Blaine to hear it.

Blaine just looked at the man, well, the shell of the man, he used to love. The man he used to come home to every night; the man he had been sure he wanted to raise a child with. And he felt…

He didn't know what to feel or how to define all of the emotions that ran through him just from seeing Ryan for the first time in over a year. Anger was certainly there, but it seemed more dulled down now by sadness and, dare he say…pity? This man was clearly not the overbearing, arrogant, and aggressive man he had known for the last few months of their relationship.

Blaine's thoughts were interrupted by a small voice, "I think it'd be best if I just go…"

He sat there and watched Ryan turn around and walk a few steps, before he couldn't help but yell out to him.

"Ryan?"

The man turned around with the same, sad look on his face, but this time it held something…different; something hopeful, almost.

"Thank you."

The other man nodded and a tear fell from his eye, which he quickly wiped away. The two men stared at each other for a bit, both so different from the last time they had seen each other. Blaine shook his head, debating with himself whether or not he wanted to do this, before he finally just took the plunge,

"Do you want to, um…do you wanna see a picture of Oliver?"

Blaine could see Ryan's eyes light up in that moment when he nodded and said, "Yes, of course."

Blaine fished his phone out of his pocket and found a picture of Ollie from the other day, one that Kurt had sent him when he had taken him to the dog park. The five-year-old was holding a daisy in his hand and handing it to Kurt who was behind the camera, smiling so hard that his eyes were scrunched up and a few of his curls were falling over his forehead.

Ryan looked over at the screen and laughed, unable to help the small pains in his chest when he thought about what could have been. He looked at it for another minute, noticing the resemblances between the boy and his biological father, before stepping back and looking at Blaine.

He wiped his hands on his pants nervously. "Could you…possibly…send that to me? I know it's a lot to ask and I totally understand if you don't want to, but—"

"Of course, Ryan. Of course you can have a picture of him," Blaine conceded, taking down his number quickly before saying goodbye.

"Wait, one more thing…was this the only reason you came here today?" Blaine asked, anxiously.

"You're not going to…like, try and petition for custody or anything, right?"

Ryan looked a little saddened at the question but shook his head, much to Blaine's relief.

"I would never take something so precious from you…I've already taken so much," he explained.

"Thank you," Blaine said, wiping his eyes, "Thank you for just…giving me something I didn't think I needed."

Ryan smiled, "Of course," turning around and walking out the door.

Blaine didn't move, watching his ex-husband walk out the door and into the hallway, before taking a deep breath and turning around to walk back to his desk. He heard the door open again, which startled him and caused him to jump, much to the intruder's amusement.

"Jumpy, eh?"

Blaine recognized the voice right away and turned around, throwing himself into Kurt's arms, holding him tight.

"Hey, hey, hey, what's wrong?" Kurt asked, trying to make eye contact with Blaine. Blaine, for his part, just breathed the other man in, basking in the warmth and safety that Kurt's arms always seemed to provide. He took a few deep breaths and nuzzled his head into Kurt's neck.

"Is this about the guy who was walking out of your office when I came in?"

Blaine froze and Kurt sensed it right away. He backed out of the embrace for a second and then led them both to Blaine's desk. Kurt sat down onto the ground, his back leaning against the desk, opening his legs and motioning for Blaine to come and join him. The somber tone was lost for a second, Blaine chuckling at the absurdity of the situation, before sitting down on the floor of a lecture hall at Columbia University, his back to Kurt's chest.

Kurt rubbed up and down Blaine's torso for a minute or so, trying to relax the younger man. Once Blaine's breathing returned to normal and he was pliant in Kurt's arms, he decided to start the conversation again.

"So you wanna talk about it?"

Blaine breathed steadily for a second. "That was Ryan, my ex-husband…"

He felt Kurt freeze behind him as his breathing sped up, "Did he hurt you Blaine, cause I swear to any fucking god I don't believe in—"

Blaine turned just his head around in the embrace and kissed Kurt's chest, "No, no, relax, he didn't hurt me."

Kurt certainly didn't put his guard down, but he did relax a bit at Blaine's words.

"Well, then why did he come here. That son of a bitch is lucky as hell I didn't know who he was when I saw him because, I swear Blaine, I would've beat the living daylights…"

"Kurt, Kurt! Please stop, okay, I'm fine."

Kurt relented and placed a kiss on the top of Blaine's head, the smaller man returning to his previous position.

"He came to…apologize, actually."

"Hmmm?" Kurt asked, signaling Blaine to continue. So Blaine did. He told him of the entire encounter: the outburst, the anger, Ryan's seeming regret, and Ollie's picture. Kurt sat silently through the whole thing, occasionally grunting or tensing, but giving Blaine the space to get it all out. Blaine had been silent for a few minutes, just playing with Kurt's fingers, before the older man finally spoke.

"So how do you feel now, baby?"

"I feel…" Blaine thought about it for a second, "I don't know. Like I'm still angry about everything that happened obviously but I'm less…bitter, I guess. Mostly I'm just glad that he realizes that he was wrong and that he's seeking help. And I'm not…scared anymore."

"You were scared before?"

"Not so much in the concrete sense. Like I wasn't necessarily frightened that he would sneak into my house and beat me senseless because no matter the circumstances, Ryan is just not a psychopath. I was more scared that he would show up again and try to take Ollie…try to gain custody somehow. And now…I don't know...the whole thing just seems to be a non-issue anymore. Which is good."

Kurt continued to plant kisses all over Blaine's curls in support. Blaine suddenly turned in the embrace so that he was facing Kurt with a small, poorly-hidden smirk on his face.

"So, you never told me why you're here, anyway."

Kurt grabbed his hips and started rubbing circles into Blaine's lower back. "Well…it was _supposed_ to be a surprise. Which I guess it was. I packed lunch, though!"

Blaine's eyes lit up, and his stomach growled, causing both men to laugh.

"Well now that we all know where my stomach stands on the issue…"

**A/N: Well I don't know if anyone's reading this because I'm sure you all still hate me for being so absent but I'm just SORRY. Life happens sometimes and it sucks! Anyway, this is basically the first half of this chapter because the next one will be a continuation of some of the themes that arose…but I have an idea how I'm going to end the fic, so there might be like 3ish more chapters plus an epilogue…how do you guys feel about that? Sorry for the long AN. But, as always, REVIEW PLEASE. Thanks, I love you all. Xoxo. Oh, and, my tumblr for my fanfiction is in my profile, so check that out. I usually post fun pictures and stuff relating to the fics. **


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: I'm thinking there will be probably two chapters after this (and then maybe an epilogue) but we're getting close to the end. But I am planning on writing one-shots in the verse upon suggestion so it won't be the **_**real**_** end. I reached over 100 reviews which is so exciting! Thanks for all the continued support and please keep up the reviewing—tell me what you'd like to see before the end. Thanks! **

Blaine woke up to the sun streaming through the translucent drapes, glancing over at the clock to see that it was far too early to be up on a Saturday. He stared up at the ceiling, feeling the weight of Kurt on his chest, wrapping his arms around the man a little tighter. Kurt was always so peaceful when he slept; his face totally relaxed, and often there was a faint smile on his face, as if, even in his sleep, he was the beautifully optimistic man that he was everyday.

He gently moved his hand up Kurt's arm, over his shoulder, lightly brushing his bangs off of his face, smiling when the man scrunched his nose and burrowed further into Blaine's embrace. It was times like these where Blaine wanted nothing more than to keep Kurt in his arms forever, to protect and love him, and to be protected and loved in return. He almost cries thinking about the fact that they spent more than fifteen years apart, without seeing his beautiful face, listening to his angelic voice, or being wrapped up safely in his wonderfully pale arms. It was times like these that Blaine wanted nothing more than to marry Kurt.

Blaine kissed the top of his boyfriend's head at the thought, smiling. The Blaine a few years ago would've forced his mind to avoid the topic; would tell himself that he wasn't worth such a beautiful creature; would convince himself that Kurt would never say yes after all this time. Now, though…now, without noticing it, his optimism seems to have been retained to what it was when he first began dating Kurt in high school. The world doesn't seem impossible anymore; he isn't afraid of planning or looking into the future because the future could be great; will be great.

Kurt begins to stir a bit more, and Blaine just continues to watch as his nuzzles his head into the junction between Blaine's shoulder and neck. As he feels Kurt's eyelashes moving on his bare skin, he kisses the back of his head, hearing the man groan a little and then turn around in the embrace.

"Hey, you," Kurt says, still blinking his eyes, voice still retaining the telltale grogginess.

"Hey," Blaine just smiles, rubbing his hand in circles on Kurt's back, relishing in the feel of the warms skin, now moving around as Kurt adjusts his position.

"Were you watching me sleep?" Kurt teases.

"Yes."

Kurt just smiles. "What time is it?"

Blaine kisses his forehead and turns around to look at the clock, realizing he had been in his reverie of introspection for forty-five minutes.

"8:30. Wanna go get breakfast?"

"Mmmm that sounds fantastic." Kurt leans up and kisses Blaine, pulling back after a minute before jumping out of bead to brush his teeth and sort out his bead head.

Blaine watches him go, knowing that he will soon need to get out of bed and put on some clothes. For now, though, he is content to just watch Kurt's naked form as he retreats into the bathroom, smiling when picturing a ring on the tall man's finger.

xxxxxx

"I'm coming up next weekend."

"You're what?" Kurt asked in surprise, louder than what was certainly necessary overt he phone, causing Effie to start from where she was sitting in the living room.

"Coming up next weekend."

Kurt was silent.

"What, bud, is that a problem or something?"

"No, no…it's just such short notice. Since when have you been planning this? You hate the city."

"You don't want to see me?"

Kurt sighed and went back to taking the plates out of the dishwasher and stacking them in the cabinet above the counter.

"Dad, of course I want to see you, you know that."

"Then what's the issue?" Kurt could hear the exasperation in his father's tone.

"There's no issue, I promise." You know, other than the fact that Blaine and his son are now living with me and I forgot to tell you, Kurt thought.

"Oookay, I don't wanna put you out."

"No dad seriously, it's no big deal. I'm excited to see you." Kurt said with as much excitement as he could muster. He switched the phone to the other hand and picked up a wet plate, which quickly slipped out of his hands, shattering glass all over the kitchen floor.

"Shit!"

"What is it?" Kurt whirled around to see Effie standing in the doorway, still in her school uniform.

"Nothing, just don't come in here without shoes…Dad, I gotta go. Talk to you later." Kurt quickly hung up the phone and threw it onto the kitchen counter, stepping as carefully as possible around the glass to get to the closet on the opposite side of the kitchen.

Effie walks into the kitchen without even a glimpse at the floor and jumps up onto the island, sitting Indian-style, watching her father with an amused smirk on her face.

"Grandpa must've really scared you," she teased.

Kurt just grabbed the broom out of the closet, turned around, and stuck his tongue out.

"He didn't scare me. No one scares me," Kurt said, puffing out his chest a little.

Effie snorted and brought her hand up to her mouth to cover her giggles, unable to control them. Kurt just rolled his eyes and let out a huff, turning around to finish sweeping the floor. He heard Effie's phone ding followed by her rapid typing on the phone's keyboard.

"I'll be back at eleven," Effie called, leaving the kitchen and making her way to the door.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a second," Kurt called, following her into the living room.

"What?"

Kurt crossed his arms and raised his right eyebrow. Effie huffed.

"I'm going over to Cole's. I'll be back before curfew, I promise."

"Were you going to ask, or just going to tell me that you're going over?"

Effie rolled her eyes and gave her dad her best bitch glare, "You've never had a problem with me just leaving before."

"Because you're often going over your friend's house. Going over your boyfriends house without asking me is definitely my concern."

"I think I'm old enough to handle it, thanks though." Effie said, trying to turn around and leave. Kurt grabbed her shoulder and turned her back around to face him.

"This conversation isn't over so don't even think about leaving. And wipe the pout off your face, I'm trying to be lenient with you but your attitude is definitely not helping your case."

Effie still showed remnants of indignance on her face, but tried to school her expression as well as she could. At this point, getting over to Cole's house quickly was more important than winning an argument with her dad.

"I'm sorry." _Boy, that was hard to say. _"Can I _please_ go over to Cole's house for dinner?"

"Better," Kurt said, amused. "We need to talk for a few minutes first."

"Okay…" she said, clearly a bit worried.

"Nothing bad, don't worry," Kurt smiled. "Sit?" He went over to the couch and patted the seat next to him. Effie followed and got up onto the seat, sitting cross-legged facing her father.

"So…did someone die or something?"

Kurt laughed. "No, no, no. I told you it wasn't bad."

Effie smiled briefly.

"Are Cole's parents home?"

Effie's eyes widened infinitesimally before she quickly schooled her expression back to normal. Kurt caught it though, he always does.

"Uh—"

"That's what I thought, Effie, you can't expect me to let you go over to his house when he's home alone, can you?"

"Dad, please don't be that parent."

"Well I have to be that kind of parent, Eff. What do you expect me to do? Let you go over there for hours without supervision. Jeez, I was a teenager once. I was a teenager who dated once. I'm not dumb."

Effie's face began to get redder as Kurt continued.

"I know what happens with these things. And Effie, you just turned sixteen. You'll have plenty of time to do the things you're thinking about doing now, later—"

"Please stop, Dad! This is getting into territory I don't want to talk about so can we please just stop? I know what you're trying to get at but it's not an issue so you don't have to worry."

Kurt studied his daughters face for a minute, seeing how embarrassed the young girl looked. "Okay, but this conversation has not finished. We _will _talk about it later."

Effie nodded, placating.

"How about you invite Cole over to our house for dinner. That way you can see him but you won't be alone at his house all night."

Effie looked a little put off, but nodded nonetheless, wanting more than anything to just stop this conversation altogether.

She had avoided the sex talk for sixteen years of her life; she was not about to let it start now.

xxxxxxxxx

Kurt had been frantically running around for the past few days, trying to get the house clean and food ready for his dad to come visit. Even now, pushing forty years old, Kurt was still quite frightened to tell his dad about him and Blaine living together. It wasn't so much the fear that his father would lash out, but more that, fear that his father would judge him for moving too quickly. Or tell Kurt that he didn't think it was going to work out between them a second time. He was worried that his father would address his insecurities full on and use them to make him doubt his relationship with Blaine. And he really did not need that right now with everything else going on.

Blaine, on the other hand, was excited that Burt was coming so soon. He had always planned on asking for his approval before he proposed to Kurt when he would imagine such things in high school, and that was still, very much a dream of his. Therefore, he was more than willing when Kurt pleaded for him to pick Burt up at the airport, explaining that he had a billion things to do and no time to do it. Blaine simply assured Kurt that he'd be happy to help and then shut him up for a few minutes with…other tactics.

Which brings him to where he is now, LaGuardia Airport, pacing back and forth near baggage claim, looking at the Arrivals board every few seconds to make sure Burt's flight was still on time. It was. And as of now, 4:38 pm, it had been twenty minutes since his flight from Ohio had supposedly landed, meaning he should be there any moment.

Blaine isn't a nervous person, not usually. He is always the guy who is laid back, waiting patiently and in the moment for things to happen, not trying to over-prepare or worry about what the future may hold. Today, however, he couldn't help but be a bit nervous. His future with the man he loves, the man he wants to grow old with, the man he wants to marry, depends entirely on Burt's reaction. Well maybe not entirely. Maybe he's being a bit over-dramatic, they are adults, after all, who can make their own decisions. Kurt must be rubbing off on him.

"Blaine!"

Hearing his name and immediately recognizing the voice that said it, Blaine whipped his head up and darted his eyes around until they landed on the aged man walking towards him. The thoughts in Blaine's head were running around so quickly that he couldn't think enough to answer the man, simply remaining quiet until Burt finally reached him. The older man looked at him expectantly, a worried expression on his face. Before he could get any questions out however he was interrupted by Blaine.

"I want to marry Kurt."


End file.
